Time after Time
by KaryInTheSky
Summary: With time kids grow, evolve, and eventually leave childhood to turn into adults. In the life of two individuals, time determines everything. Some things, though, are inevitable. Teddy and Victoire might just realize that...in time
1. Prologue: A Toad and a Teddy

_With time kids grow, evolve, and eventually leave childhood to turn into adults. In the life of two individuals, time determines everything, from their personality traces to the choices they make. Some things, though, are inevitable. Teddy and Victoire might just realize that...in time. _

**Prologue: A Toad and a Teddy**

The water ran through her bare toes. She held the skirt to her lavender dress tightly, above her knees, to make sure it didn't get wet. The crystal water of the creek felt colder as she moved her petit feet through it. Small fish swam by her ankles, tickling her light skin. Victoire laughed at the weird sensation, and she continued to look down into the stream. Her feet were sinking in the white sand the moment she saw what she had been looking for.

"I found one!" she called.

"You did?" Teddy ran towards her in excitement, splashing the water of the creek around them.

"Teddy! You'll get my dress wet!" she cried, holding on to it tightly.

"Where is it?"

"There…" her small finger pointed firmly at the water, "…near that rock."

Teddy walked slowly through the running water, until he lost his patience and, in an aggressive move, threw himself to pull what was underneath the rock. The noise and splash he made where enough to frighten the fishes nearby and soak himself entirely.

"Teddy!!" cried Victoire again, this time the water had reached her precious dress, the one her mother had groomed so carefully that morning. She had warned her to behave nicely enough to make sure she didn't ruin it. "My dress!" she said desperately, looking down at her clothes, unable to notice that her long hair was almost as wet as her dress by now.

"Got it!" he said, thrilled in victory as he held high a brownish fat toad. "Now what?" he asked, examining the animal, which wrestled in his hands. "It's…"

"Gross…" Victoire finished.

"Hey, you made me catch it!" he exclaimed frowning. Teddy stretched his hand and showed the unattractive toad to the girl, putting it close to her face. She wrinkled her nose and shook her head. "Well? You said you could make it change."

"Yeah, but that doesn't look like it's going to change into anything…"

"You said—"

"I know what I said!"

"You said you had a spell to make Frogs change their appearance."

"It's…not a spell."

"Then, what is it?" he said desperately. He wasn't willing to just release the frog again, because Victoire had nagged him until she got the best of him, and had insisted that she knew a spell to turn toads into something else. She made him sneak into the creek -which was already off the limits for them according to her parents' rules- to catch one to prove it. He should have known by now that Victoire always tried to prove things to him, the more impossible the better, always trying to compete with him at something, and as much as he tried to resist to her foolish request, he ended up falling for it as he always did, and now he had ended up with a rather disgusting animal in his hands, waiting for her to prove herself.

"Vic…do it…"

Victoire, who was never one to back off from her own ideas, leaned forward, shut her eyes tightly, and in a quick move pecked the frog's brown skin. Teddy's eyes opened widely, as Victoire frowned in disgust. But more than disgusted, she looked highly disappointed to see that her effort had been useless.

"That's—are you crazy?" he asked. Victoire was now rubbing her arm against her lips to remove the repulsive sensation. "Why did you kiss it?"

"I—well…"

"That was your spell? What were you planning to turn it into?" he asked, examining the surprisingly big toad, and trying to understand Victoire's behaviour.

"Um…never mind," she said disappointed, feeling a little ridiculous now.

"What? What was it?"

"Um…a prince, I think…" she said softly. Teddy didn't answer, he stared at the girl in front of him, and after a few seconds broke into a spontaneous, rather loud laughter, a laughter that didn't stop for a while.

"Stop it!" she said. "Don't laugh!" But Teddy didn't listen; his laughing attack didn't let him hear her. "Stop it!" she said again, mad by now. Victoire crossed her arms, furiously red; she desperately hated when people laughed at her.

To give the problem a quick, impulsive solution, Victoire leaned, and not towards the frog but towards Teddy instead. She pecked him as quickly as she could, half on his cheek and half on the corner of his mouth. Not that she liked doing it, but she was sure he'd shut up with that. She stroked her hand again against her mouth regretting her impulsive, but defensive act, and this time she wasn't surprised to see that Teddy didn't turn into a prince either.

Not only did he not transform himself into anything by magic, but he made an awful lot of noise. In a spare second his hands had released the toad, which made a huge splash in the creek and ended up soaking both of them again.

"My dress!"

"What did you do that for!" he said shocked, and quite mortified by the recent invasion of his privacy. But Victoire didn't give him much time to act, she jumped out of the water and ran fast, towards The Burrow.

"Maman!" she yelled as she burst into the living room. "Maman!" She ran past the crowd that was settled there and entered the kitchen, where a group of women were sitting at the table.

"What is it Victoire?" her mother asked startled as the six year old reached her, drenching the kitchen floor. Behind her entered the eight year old, just as soaked as Victoire. "What 'appened to you?" Fleur looked up and down at the girl. "Where are your shoes? Why are you all wet?" she said painfully at the sight of her almost ruined dressed.

"Teddy!" she said harshly, pointing at the guilty kid, "Teddy did it!"

Teddy's mouth fell wide open, as all the women in the room turned to him.

"Teddy…" asked Hermione softly, the one sitting closest to him. "Why would you do that?"

"I didn't!" he retorted. "We were at the creek and—"

"At ze creek?" asked Fleur, turning now towards her child with a hard look on her face.

"Teddy made me go!" she said impulsively.

"No I didn't! She did!"

"Yes you did!" she pointed at him again.

"Victoire kissed me!" he yelled this time, and a silence took over the room, for five or six seconds, because Audrey, who had been sitting by the end of the table, broke into laughter rather fast. Her laughing inspired the rest of the women to do the same and Teddy's face turned immediately red. His hair, which had been pink for a while since the incident, was turning into an intense shade of the colour.

"Don't laugh!"yelled the girl again in annoyance. The only one concerned about the situation was Fleur.

"Victoire…why did you kiss Teddy?" asked her mother softly.

"I—he was laughing at me!"

"Victoire, you cannot kiss people every time zey laugh at you …" said her mother seriously, trying to show patience. Ginny, sitting on her side, had to bite her lip to stop laughing.

"She also kissed a toad before me…" said Teddy under his breath, his hands in his pockets, and his face showed just how embarrassing the entire episode was for him.

Fleur didn't say a word, but her blue eyes opened widely, disbelieving her daughter's actions. Victoire wrinkled her lips, and looked down at her feet.

"I was just trying to turn it into a prince…"

"What?" asked Fleur, breathless.

"Oh god…" said Hermione, taking a hand to her forehead.

"Yes…like in aunt Hermione's story," Victorie pointed at Hermione. Apparently, she was willing to bring everybody down with her.

"Well…we know now that she's not very discreet… " said Hermione to Ginny. Fleur looked at her incredulously.

"It's a muggle…story…" she explained. "I didn't know she'd be kissing frogs after that."

"And what where you trying to turn Teddy into?" Ginny asked to Victoire, smiling.

"Nothing…I had a better chance with the toad," she said dryly.

Ginny opened her mouth, and the rest of them broke into laughter again. Fleur couldn't believe that her little girl was handing out such responses. She looked around the kitchen table, trying to find with her eyes someone who could have taught her to talk like that. But nobody was guilty for her daughter's sharpness.

Teddy, red in the face, walked out of the kitchen feeling defeated by the high amount of women. It was amazing, that he still hadn't learned that it wasn't easy to win against Victoire Weasley.

_A/N: Welcome to the story. You'll see that the story will skip months and years, according to the different stages of their lives, it also goes from Victoire to Teddy's point of view, depending on the situation. I hope you can give this a try and please remember to leave your comments._


	2. Ticket to Ride

_A/N: Thanks to those who reviewed chapter 1!! It was__great to read the feedback. I'll try to update frequently. Here goes chapter two, which was important for me to state a point, but things will speed up._

_You'll see that music is an important part of the plot, hence the titles to each chapter. These are__not__song fics, but the lyrics of the songs translate into the atmosphere of what is going on. I'll be writing the artist of every song at the end of every chapter, so feel free to listen to the lyrics, because they do go with the theme of the chapter and in most cases with the emotions of the characters._

--

**Ticket to Ride**

_September 1st, 2009_

Ginny was received at Shell Cottage by the soothing sound of the waves that broke on the shore far from the house. Even at the living room she could smell the sea breeze, which was what she loved most about her brother's home.

The silent of the house, though, was immediately broken as Dominique entered the living room running to throw herself in the arms of what she called her favourite aunt. Behind her entered Fleur carrying young Louis.

"Ginny, zank god you're 'ere. Victoire was growing...impatient."

"I know, I'm sorry," she said, her leg embraced by Dominique's tight grip.

"She's upstairs. Would like to drink somezing before you leave?" asked Fleur, instinctively avoiding her son's attempts of pulling her long silvery hair.

"Thanks, but I think we are running late as it is. Is Victoire ready?"

"Let me call—"

"I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready!" The girl's feet stamp the wood as she ran down the stairs. "I'm ready!" she made it clear again as she kissed her aunt.

"Good. Do you have the present?" asked Ginny, kneeling down to the level of her niece.

"I do!" she said, showing her the small bag that she held in her hands.

"Do you 'ave your shoes on?" asked her mother, inspecting her.

"I do!"

Victoire had picked one of her finest dresses for the occasion. A blue ribbon, that matched the colour of her clothes, was settled on her head to decorate her long blondish-reddish hair. Nobody was quite sure just what colour it was. Dominique had turned out with a vivid shade of blond that made her outstand in the family crowd and Louis' head was already covered with silvery, yellow strings of hair. Victoire, on the other hand, had a confusing combination of her parents' hair colour.

"You look beautiful," said her mother proudly.

"Never mind that! Let's go! We won't make it!" said the child exasperatedly.

"Where is Victoire going?" asked Dominique, pulling her mother's dress.

"She's going to see off Teddy to the train station," she explained.

"I want to go!" she said immediately.

"Sweet'eart, you're too young to go."

"No, I'm not! If Victoire goes, then I want to go!"

"I don't mind taking her," said Ginny.

"Trust me, you will," replied Fleur.

"Aunt Ginny! We won't make it!" Victoire was pulling her aunt towards the chimney.

Dominique's requests were getting far too loud and in a split second her yelling made Louis cry in her mother's arms. Fleur, with her hands full, gestured to Ginny a sign that suggested her to leave the house. Ginny took Victoire with her and left as her sister in law calmed down Dominique with sweet French words.

--

Getting to platform nine and three-quarters went rather fast and once they arrived, Victoire's eager attitude calmed down quickly. The girl stood silently as she held her aunt's hand tightly. She spotted Teddy fast; his bright, blue hair could be seen from the distance. He was standing next to his grandmother and Harry, who had arrived before them, had crouched down to talk closely to him. Victoire couldn't remember ever seeing Teddy that nervous before.

"Victoire..." called Ginny softly. "Aren't you going to walk up to him?"

"Is Teddy going to forget about us?" she asked seriously, holding her hand tightly. Ginny couldn't hold back a laugh.

"No! He won't forget us, especially you. I think you've gotten him into trouble enough times for him to _ever_ forget you. "

Victoire looked down at her shoes. "I don't want him to go..." she mumbled.

"Well...think about this: in two years you'll catch up with him."

Victoire looked up at her aunt and frowned. Ginny felt like a fool for doing nothing but pointing out that the girl had to wait two more years for her chance to go to Hogwarts.

By the hand of her aunt she walked up to the boy, and once she reached Teddy she let go of Ginny. The two kids stood in front of each other, neither of them smiling or talking, but showing themselves to be uncomfortable with the situation.

After settling for a few minutes of silent staring, Victoire was the one to walk closer to him. Teddy stood still, uncertain and a little intimidated. Victoire was the kind of person he'd rather stand with at least three feet of distance, because every time she stood came close he ended up in some sort of trouble or embarrassing situation.

But Victoire gently pecked his cheek with her small lips. His face went pink at that instant and he looked down to his feet.

"Bye," she said simply, and Teddy smiled sheepishly.

"Bye."

Two years isn't really a long time, although for a child it may seem like an eternity. Teddy would return that Christmas, and then he'd return for Easter and finally to spend his first summer out of school.

But two children couldn't anticipate that every time Teddy returned he'd be a little older, and she'd be a little older as well, and they would no longer be spending that much time together because their interests would be taking different tracks. Two kids couldn't anticipate that for a girl and a boy of their ages, two years was in fact a long time.

He walked up to the train and Victorie felt Ginny's hand on her shoulder.

"The present..." she whispered to her ear. Victoire had forgotten about the little brown bag her hand was holding. She jumped the minute she remembered it and walked up to Teddy fast.

"Teddy, wait!" she said. The boy turned around and Victoire handed him the small paper bag.

"Here, so it can keep you company," she said innocently. Teddy received the bag and opened it. He pulled out a small, green, stuffed frog. At first, he wasn't very sure of how to react. But Teddy, who wouldn't ever hurt somebody else's feelings, smiled immediately.

"Thanks," he said sincerely. "It's cool." As a response he changed the colour of his hair to match the Frog's fake skin.

Victoire laughed, both amused and pleased, and took a couple of steps back to let Teddy get on the train. A few feet away from them Andromeda, Harry and Ginny were witnessing the scene. Ginny, particularly, wore a pleased smile on her face. Victoire had asked her days ago to take her to Diagon Alley to buy Teddy a going away present. But Ginny was the one who spotted the frog on a shelf. The stuffed animal reminded her of the incident Victoire had caused a couple of years back, so she suggested her to buy it for Teddy. Victoire, oblivious of what the frog represented, agreed excitedly.

"You know...she reminds me of someone," said Harry to his wife as he slipped an arm to wrap her waist.

"Oh, please...I never gave _you_ a stuffed animal."

"No...and it would have been nice. Instead you chose to send me a singing dwarf for Valentine's Day."

Ginny shut her eyes at the painful, embarrassing memory, but recovered quite fast.

"And five years later...you were mine," she replied brightly.

--

_A/N: Any thoughts on this? Please...review!!__If there are any Beatles fans out there: yes, the title of this chapter (and the chapter itself) refers to one of their fabulous songs. Got to love them…_

Lyrics:

_I think I'm gonna be sad,__  
__I think it's today, yeah.__  
__The girl that's driving me mad__  
__Is going away.___

_She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__But she don't care.___

_She said that living with me__  
__Was bringing her down yeah.__  
__She would never be free__  
__When I was around.___

_She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__But she don't care.___

_I don't know why she's ridin' so high,__  
__She ought to think twice,__  
__She ought to do right by me.__  
__Before she gets to saying goodbye,__  
__She ought to think twice,__  
__She ought to do right by me.___

_I think I'm gonna be sad,__  
__I think it's today yeah.__  
__The girl that's driving me mad__  
__Is going away, yeah.___

_She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__But she don't care.___

_I don't know why she's ridin' so high,__  
__She ought to think twice,__  
__She ought to do right by me.__  
__Before she gets to saying goodbye,__  
__She ought to think twice,__  
__She ought to do right by me__  
__.__  
__She heard that living with me,__  
__Was bringing her down, yeah.__  
__She would never be free__  
__When I was around.___

_Ah, she's got a ticket to ride,__  
__She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__She's got a ticket to ride,__  
__But she don't care.___


	3. Read My Mind

**Read My Mind**

_September 1st, 2011_

_--_

Victoire was kneeling on the seat when she pressed her hands against the glass of the window. Her light blue eyes wondered into the moving landscape. She was alone in the train cabin. Her only traveling companion was Metis, her new owl, a gift from her father. She had picked the animal herself, and although it was smaller than the other specimens available, she had preferred it for having an exceptionally beautiful set of golden feathers. Metis was more than enough company for Victoire at the moment.

"Hey!" she heard the door of the cabin open and the familiar voice of Teddy behind her. She turned around to confirm that it was in fact him, his hair a dark shade of Turquoise she loved to see on him. "I was looking for you," he said, half of his body in the room.

"Hi!" she said back, and sat properly on the cushion.

"Just wanted to make sure you were doing alright," he walked until he was close enough to sit by her. Metis' sweet hoot made Teddy slip a finger in her cage to pet her peak.

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

She was sure, or so she thought. She was 11, for heaven sakes, 11! If she was old enough to go to school, old enough to own a wand, old enough to own an owl, then she was old enough to be just fine by herself.

"Ted!" said a female voice behind them. A girl, about Teddy's size was standing on the door. Her hair was short and a very light shade of brown. "Hey Bob, I found him!" she yelled at the hallway.

"Claire," Teddy said, "this is Victoire. We grew up together." Victoire recognized the girl's name as soon as Teddy pronounced it. She had heard him speak of her more than once, just as she had heard him speak constantly about a certain Bob and some Jack guy. A year ago, it had been unexplainably hard for her to accept the fact that Teddy's group of friends had filled what once had been her place.

"Oh, hi!" The girl smiled sympathetically to Victoire.

"Hi," she responded shyly.

"So, what house do you expect to be sorted into?"

Victoire shrugged. "I don't know," she said plainly.

"Gryffindor, I bet," said Teddy to Victoire. She shook her head and shrugged again, but remained silent, suddenly uncomfortable with Teddy and Claire, who were both behaving as if they were considerably older than her. He was only two years older, and she didn't need for him to behave like a protective brother would. "She's normally much more of a talker," Teddy said to Claire, estranged.

"She's just nervous," answered Claire, kindly. "I have a younger sister too. But she won't come until next—"

"—Teddy is not my brother," she corrected. "And I'm not nervous, I'm fine," she pointed out, just to make sure it was clear for everybody.

"Right. Good, then. Ted, the guys are at the end of the wagon."

"Vic, are you sure you're going to be—" he asked once he stood up and walked to the door.

"Teddy, I'm—"

"—Fine. Right."

"Nice to meet you Victoire," said Claire. "And don't worry about a thing. You'll be more than fine."

"You're going to love it," assured Teddy.

--

Victoire didn't notice when her feet stopped walking. She was too busy to notice. Her mouth fell ungracefully open when she looked up at the ceiling, where a dark sky was filled with shining stars. The so called Great Hall was more than great, it was amazing. Victoire's eyes stopped to contemplate the row of candles that floated above her head. This was much greater than the image she had built in her mind.

She never imagined it being like that.

"Hey, catch up!" said a boy that was standing a few feet ahead from her, and Victoire realized she was standing alone at the entrance of the room, and the eyes of many students who were sitting at their tables were on her. She rushed herself to catch up with the crowd of kids that were up front. She felt uncomfortably exposed to the eyes of the students in the room the entire time.

A short man introduced himself as Headmaster Hartwell Barrow and welcomed the students to what would be their new home.

"Nervous?" asked a girl that stood by her. Her hair was heavily black and her wide, dark blue eyes were so big that exalted among her features. Meanwhile an old hat that had appeared on a chair in front of them had taken on singing a very peculiar song.

"No…I'm fine," she said. But she really wasn't fine anymore, she knew better now. The entire room and the people in it, were intimidating enough, and the idea of a hat being set on her head to decide the house she'd spent her next years in, was beginning to freak her thoughts.

Once the hat had finished the witch that had escorted them to the Great Hall took out a big list and announced the beginning of the sorting ceremony.

"Alison Wildfield!" the woman called, and a short, blond girl walked up to a chair where the big, odd looking hat was placed on her head.

"I'm really nervous," the girl said to Victoire. "My parents are both Ravenclaws, and so are my grandparents. Well, except for my father's dad, he's a muggle. But everybody else in my family is in Ravenclaw, and if I'm not sorted in that house then it will mean I'm really stupid."

"That's not what it will mean," Victoire said, frowning at the girl's foolishness. Her father told her once all about Hogwart's houses and its sorting system.

"Yes, it will. Why else wouldn't I be sorted in my family's house?"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" yelled the hat, and the blond girl walked relived to her table, were a crowd of people received her in applauds.

"Oh, god…" said the girl again to Victoire. "What if I'm sorted into Hufflepuff? That would be embarrassing," she said worried.

"No it wouldn't!" said Victoire annoyed. "Hufflepuff is a good house," she stopped for a moment. "Teddy's in it," she said instintivley, but almost whispering.

"Who's Teddy?" she asked.

"Evelyn Bevan!" called the woman this time, and the girl standing by Victoire startled.

"That's me…" she said as she left her spot to walk up front.

"RAVENCLAW!" yelled the hat, after barely touching her head. The girl smiled in excitement and ran to her new table.

"Victoire Weasley!" called the woman again, and Victoire swallowed hard before walking up to the chair.

The hat touched her bronze hair, and Victoire had the uncomfortable feeling of something urging inside her head.

"_What's this?"_ a deep voice penetrated her ears. _"A Weasley kid?"_

"_That's right..."_ thought Victoire to herself, unimpressed.

"_I haven't had a Weasley__to sort since—"_

"_My aunt Ginny."_ Her thoughts interrupted the hat's monologue accidently. "_Of course you haven't. I'm the first one in years,"_ she explained to the voice that was echoing inside her head. But she wasn't expecting it to answer her. She didn't think she could have a telepathic conversation with the object, no matter how haunted it was.

"_Hmmp. I know that,"_he said to her surprise.

"_I know what you're thinking,"_thought Victoire, realizing that the hat was talking back to her, and that suddenly she couldn't get her head to shut up.

"_Actually, you don't. That is my job."_

"_No, I really do! You think I belong in Gryffindor, like my dad's family."_

"_Hmmp. And do you see yourself as eager of proving your guts as a true Gryffindor would be?"_

"_Couldn't know… I'm only 11. And as you said…that's your job,"_she pointed out.

"_Huh!"_ The hat responded in a tone that made Victoire assume that he felt insulted. "_That defiant attitude could win you a place in Slytherin as much as in Gryffindor, you know. But let me do my work, if you don't mind."_

"Sorry_, go ahead then."_

"_I__see you're…Independent,"_the hat begun. _"A little too much for a child your age.__You will give yourself in completely whenever you need to…and yet you can be too self-sufficient sometimes to be a Hufflepuff."_

"_Hey…I'm not self—"_

"—_And subversive too…"_the hat continued. _"Something often found in Gryffindors. But you don't have thirst to prove yourself as anything different than what you already are…"_

"_And…what am I?"_

"_Competent, perfectionist, protective of what belongs to you, a curious child too... You have the need to solve your dilemmas, by yourself, but I think you know that already. Yes…I have no other choice than to follow my own instincts. It may as well be…"_

"RAVENCLAW!" the hat yelled, and Victoire heard a loud round of applause coming from the table she would now belong to for the years to come.

Victoire sat down and a group of older students congratulated her.

"Cool! You're here too," said the chattering girl she had met before. "Were your parents in Ravenclaw as well?"

"No, they weren't," she answered plainly. The girl's need for constant conversation reminded Victoire of Dominique.

"Oh. You should be happy, though. Ravenclaw is the best of the four houses, that's what my dad always says. I know everything about it. Rowena Ravenclaw was one of the four founders. She was also the brightest which of her time."

Evelyn began a monologue that at some point lost Victoire's interest. While the girls talked, she scanned the room and finally found Teddy sitting at the Hufflepuff table, next to Claire, and two more guys, who Victoire assumed that must have been Jack and Bob. Teddy spotted her too and smiled slightly. Victoire could hear the shatter of the kids around her, and Evelyn's enthusiastic story, but Victoire wasn't listening to it. She simply let herself smile back at him.

--

_A/N:__A little insight into Victoire's personality when she was 11. Please Review!! _

_Song: Read my Mind - The killers_

_Lyrics:_

_On the corner of main street__  
__Just tryin' to keep it in line.__  
__You say you wanna move on and__  
__You say I'm falling behind.___

_Can you read my mind?__  
__Can you read my mind?___

_I never really gave up on__  
__Breakin' out of this two-star town.__  
__I got the green light,__  
__I got a little fight.__  
__I'm gonna turn this thing around.___

_Can you read my mind?__  
__Can you read my mind?___

_The good old days, the honest man;__  
__The restless heart, the Promised Land,__  
__A subtle kiss that no one sees;__  
__A broken wrist and a big trapeze.___

_Oh well I don't mind, if you don't mind.__  
__'Cause I don't shine if you don't shine__  
__Before you go, can you read my mind?___

_It's funny how you just break down,__  
__Waitin' on some sign__  
__I pull up to the front of your driveway__  
__With magic soakin' my spine.___

_Can you read my mind?__  
__Can you read my mind?___

_The teenage queen, the loaded gun;__  
__The drop dead dream, the Chosen One,__  
__A southern drawl, a world unseen;__  
__A city wall and a trampoline.___

_Oh well I don't mind, if you don't mind__  
__'Cause I don't shine if you don't shine__  
__Before you jump,__  
__tell me what you find__  
__when you read my mind.___

_Slippin' in my faith until I fall.__  
__You never returned that call.__  
__Woman, open the door, don't let it sting__  
__I wanna breathe that fire again.___

_She said I don't mind, if you don't mind__  
__'Cause I don't shine if you don't shine.___

_Put your back on me,__  
__Put your back on me,__  
__Put your back on me.___

_The stars are blazing like rebel diamonds cut out of the sun.__  
__Can you read my mind?_


	4. Trouble is a Friend

_A/N:__Here goes chapter four. It almost didn't make it, because I was eager to jump ahead in time! But in the end I decided to publish it because it says some important things. I hope you like it! Please tell me what you think!_

**Trouble is a Friend**

_October 2nd, 2011_

--

_Dear Teddy,_

_The news of Victoire's sorting is still the main topic around here. I don't think I've seen Fleur more proud about anything…ever. Ron's a bit disappointed, I think, although he doesn't say anything. Everybody was expecting her to keep the Gryffindor chain, but hey, somebody had to break it, right? Who better than Victoire for that? How's she behaving, by the way? Bill's more concerned about her class mates' sake._

Keep an eye on her,

_Harry._

_-_

_Dear Uncle Harry,_

_Actually,__Bill wrote to me last week. He made me promise I'd keep an eye on her. But she'll be fine, no fire alarms so far. You'd be surprise of how quiet she can be around here, it's like a new Victoire and all. She hangs around with the same girl all the time, I suppose they're friends, which is a good thing, I guess._

_You should have seen the sorting ceremony. It took her much longer than the other kids—_

—_Hey Ted, pay attention to the class, will you? How am__I__supposed to pass otherwise?_

"Stop writing on my parchment!" Teddy said quietly to Jack, to make sure their charms professor, Arabella Slade, didn't hear them. "Brilliant…now I have to start writing it again."

"Who's Victoire?" asked Jack, leaning forward as he read Teddy's ruined letter. "Is that the girl who's been following you around lately?"

"She's not following me around."

"Who's following Ted around?" whispered Bob, who was sitting with Claire at a desk behind them, and had been listening intently.

"Teddy's girlfriend," answered Jack mockingly.

"She's not my girlfriend," Teddy retorted, looking up front and pretending to give the subject little importance. "We grew up together."

"Oh, that means she's free, then," Jack pointed out with nature, and with the unique purpose of reaching Teddy's limit of patience.

"She's eleven!" said Teddy suddenly revolted, and a little too loud for his own liking, his tone provoked a couple of girls in front of them to turn around.

"Well, she looks older," Jack said quietly, once the girls were looking at the professor again.

"You're disgusting Jack," whispered Claire behind them, leaning close enough to be heard just by the two friends. "She's a first year!"

"I was just saying—"

"—Yeah, we got what you were saying," interrupted Teddy abruptly, and took out a new piece of parchment to rewrite his response to Harry's letter.

--

"They say he woke up one day to get to class and his spirit left his body! Can you imagine that? He didn't even know he was dead!" said Evelyn with enthusiasm as she explained to Victoire why their History of Magic teacher was a ghost. Victoire's eyes were shutting down as she rested the weight of her face on her right hand. She had to put up with two monologues at once: Mr. Binns' class and Evelyn's recital of everything she had heard from her family about Hogwarts or anything else for that matter. Evelyn had sat with her in class all week, and the previous week, and the week before that. Victoire wasn't very sure of how to tell the girl to stop talking, without hurting her feelings. Since day one the girl had selected her as a permanent companion, she even shared a room with her, and Victoire was beginning to wish that Evelyn ran out of stories once and for all, before she became deaf.

"And did I tell you about the dungeons?"

"No, you didn't," she answered instinctively as she wrote down on her parchment five of the most significant magic discoveries of the XVI century, according to the Professor's speech. She had discovered that she could pay attention to half of the lesson and half of Evelyn's monologue at the same time.

"There are huge dungeons under the castle. They used to keep huge beasts there, even Trolls—"

"—What? Trolls?" Victoire woke from her mechanical behaviour. "Why would they put them there?"

"Because…actually, I don't know."

"That doesn't make any sense. This is a school, why would they hide trolls here?"

"I don't know why!"

Victoire's eyebrows arched for a second in disbelieve. But she quickly got over the fact, looked up front and tried to listen to the lesson again.

"You don't believe me, do you?"

" Not really. To be honest I don't even think there are dungeons."

"Well, I'm sure!" she said impatiently, but Victoire didn't pay her any new attention, she simply wrote on her parchment some of the Professor's words. "And I can prove it," said the girl after a minute of silence. Evelyn won Victoire's attention with that last, little did she know that wining Victoire's attention might get dangerous at some point.

"How?" she asked intrigued.

"I know one of the entrances to the dungeons."

"_One_ of the entrances?"

"Yes, there are many in the castle!"

"How do you know so much about the castle?" she asked, dropping her quill.

"My brother, he told me everything I needed to know about Hogwarts," she answered proudly. Victoire doubted that Evelyn really needed to know anything about dungeons, trolls or beasts to succeed at Hogwarts.

"I didn't know you had a brother," she said estranged to discover a subject that Evelyn hadn't touched in all those weeks.

"He's already 19," said Evelyn with indifference.

Victoire bit her lip; she was sure that anything that concerned the word _dungeon_ might qualify as off-limits for Hogwarts students.

"I don't know," Victoire thought for a moment, trying to resist, and decided to give herself into the innocent idea of taking a simple night tour through the castle's secrets. Nobody had to know about it. Nobody had to find out. "Alright. We can go tonight," she whispered smiling.

--

That night the girls walked slowly out of their common room as quietly as they could so the few people that were in it didn't notice their departure.

"Lumus," whispered Victoire once they arrived to a lonely, dark hallway, after descending a couple of stairways.

"Impressive..."

"Never mind. Where is this _entrance_?"

"We're getting close," she assured. They went down through more stairs, and Victoire got the sensation that Evelyn didn't have much idea of where she was going. In their way they found a statute of an old man, with a beard so long that it touched the floor. Victoire pointed out to herself how unpleasant the man's face was and couldn't understand why Evelyn looked at it so fixedly.

"Evelyn...are you sure—" but before Victoire could finish talking Evelyn had pressed a small stone that was behind the statute and was outstanding on the wall. It was well hidden behind the man, Victoire wouldn't have noticed it if it wouldn't have been for Evelyn. Nobody would stop to inspect such an ugly statute unless they knew what was behind it. With a sudden move the wall behind them opened slowly, leaving a hole that seemed like a doorway.

"Hey!" said a voice behind them. The girls startled in a common scream before they turned around to see a shadowed face with blue hair.

"Teddy?" asked Victoire, recovering her breath. "What are you doing here?"

"My common room is this way. What are _you_ doing here? And what the hell is that?" said Teddy amazed, his eyes firm on the obscure entrance that was in front of him.

The girls looked at each other doubtful and after a second Victoire decided to spill their intentions to Teddy and maybe see if she could get him to join them... for old time sakes.

"You're mental..." he said after a second of silence. "Vic, go back to your common room," he said, in a demanding tone.

"Since when do you give other people orders?" she asked insulted by his behaviour. "Besides, you're not so well behaved yourself."

"Actually, _you_ were always the one with the crazy ideas."

"Well...this one wasn't my idea," she said turning to Teddy. "It was Evelyn's."

"I see you found your match, then," he looked straight at the brunette girl. Evelyn didn't sustain Teddy's glance and looked instead at the dark passage.

"Victoire, would you stop this rubbish and go back to your common room!" he said harshly.

Victoire stopped cold and looked back at Teddy. "I don't see the big deal, we'll just see where this goes to, take a peek and head back." Teddy looked at the door, slightly tempted to know what was at the end of the hallway. "We're going, with or without you," she said as she grabbed Evelyn's arm and dragged her away.

"Damn," murmured Teddy, he wasn't going to admit that he was rather curious. He wasn't a perfectly behaved student himself, especially because Jack was a bit of a trouble maker too, but Teddy had managed to sustain a very good reputation with the professors and he knew that Victoire's ideas often got out of control. He was prudent when achieving his own schemes and he knew well that prudence was a quality Victoire didn't have. Besides, it had been a while since he had to put up with any of her plans, and he had promised her father he'd keep a close eye on her.

But after seeing that the girl was more determined than ever he took a step forward and followed them, through a very resentful sigh.

Once they walked long enough to think that the hallway was going to take them nowhere, the kids arrived to an intersection.

"Um...left," said Evelyn with an uncertain tone.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

The kids followed the girl, and after walking for a while they found a dead end, the wall held a small round stone and Evelyn sighed before pressing it.

"This is it," she said once the wall began to move to a side. A shade of light penetrated and Teddy was the first to stick his head out.

"Well, this was a waste of time," he said as he walked outside of the passage and into one of Hogwarts' halls.

"This is it?" asked Victoire, as they found themselves in the regular floors of the castle.

"We took a wrong turn!" assured Evelyn.

"This is just a shortcut," said Victoire disappointed. "A shortcut to—exactly where are we?"

"This is the third floor, off limits," explained Teddy.

"What's that? Do you hear that?" said Evelyn, suddenly worried to the sound that was approaching them.

"Footsteps," said Teddy. Victoire saw a light coming from the end of the hallway.

"Run!"

They ran through the corridors, turning at every corner they found, not really seeing the place they were going to. The steps behind them got louder and Victoire was sure that they belonged to their old caretaker. Finally they reached a door and in an instinctive attempt to fool the janitor Teddy opened it and pushed the girls inside. What they found was a room, filled with small silver and gold statues, cups and other antiques.

"The trophy room," explained Teddy, recovering his breath from the exasperate running.

"What are we going to do?" cried Evelyn, breathing fast. "My parents are going to kill me if they find out."

"Evelyn, our parents are going to kill us all for sneaking around at this hour."

"No...you don't know my father," she said biting her nails. "He's...well, he's... You don't know him, that's all," she said frightened.

Victoire looked at Evelyn intently. She was beginning to believe that the girl was more afraid of her father than whatever was in the dungeons. Evelyn's short breathing was fast and Victoire couldn't imagine what could be so frightening bout a person's father. She was surprised to see that the girl wasn't afraid of adventuring into the dungeons of Hogwarts or being caught by the caretaker, as long as she didn't get her father upset.

"Why are you so scared of him?" she couldn't help the curiosity, but nobody talked after that. The three kids heard the dry voice of their janitor, in the company of a woman.

"Oh no..." whispered Evelyn, closing her eyes tightly.

"They don't know we're here," said Teddy quietly.

Victoire took a step back and without noticing her back bumped into one of the shelves and about ten little cups fell to the floor making a loud rattling noise. The footsteps that had been walking away returned fast.

"I'm dead," whispered Evelyn, her frightened face made Victoire wish that she never met the girl's father. With a fast scan through the room Victoire found an empty, open cabinet thrown against a wall a few feet away from them.

"Quick...get in there!" she said to Evelyn.

"What? No!"

"Yes!" she said as she pushed the girl in the cabinet.

"No!"

"Just get in, will you?"

Victoire gave Evelyn a final push and the girl had to bend to fit into the cabinet. As Victoire closed the door, the door to the trophy room opened widely. Their old caretaker and their charms teacher stood in front of them, Professor Slade was wearing a very hard look on her face, a look she didn't wear frequently.

--

"Unbelievable," said teddy the next day, as he cleaned the flower pots from a greasy grey substance that smelled as if something had died in them. Both Teddy and Victoire had received a week of detention for meddling in the castles' forbidden places. Professor Slade had taken 50 points out of each of their houses and had sealed the entrance behind the old man's statue, to make sure the idea didn't return to their minds again. In addition, she had ordered them to serve detention at one of Professor Longbottom's greenhouses.

"I'm sorry Teddy," whispered Victoire, as she held the pot for Teddy to clean.

"Unbelievable," he said again.

"Teddy, it wasn't entirely my idea. I'm sorry!"

"Miss Weasley!" called Neville. "If you don't mind, I'd preferred it if you remained silent," he said, fighting the smile that was growing on his face.

Neither of them talked again that afternoon, but Victoire was only waiting for detention to be over so she could apologize properly.

Once they left the greenhouse Victoire caught up with the boy. He had walked out so fast she almost lost him.

"Teddy—"

"Forget it."

"But—but it wasn't my fault, I—"

"You always say that," retorted Teddy. Victoire was one of the few people in the world who managed to get the best out Teddy's patience fast. This day wasn't an exception. "You always blame someone else or say it was an accident!"

"But..."

"And I always end up paying for _your_ problems!" he said pointing straight at her. "I should know better by now! I should know that I have to keep a distance between your schemes and me."

"But Teddy..."

"You know what Victoire? Stay away from me!" he said loudly, and Victoire froze in shock to the hardness of his words. She had never heard him saying anything like that, not to her, not to anybody. Teddy walked away fast, red in the face, and the girl found herself standing alone on the ground disbelieving Teddy's last words.

"Victoire!" she heard Evelyn say, but she didn't see when the girl stopped by her, instead she was staring firmly at the place where Teddy had walked away.

"Victoire I'm really sorry," said Evelyn, who came out harmless thanks to Victoire's last minute idea. "I...I really am."

"That's alright..." whispered Victoire.

"No! This is all my fault! You can hate me if you want," she insisted. "You can shut me out if you want. I'll understand, I—"

"—Evelyn," said Victoire turning to the girl, in an attempt to stop Evelyn's apology from becoming another one of her long speeches. "I don't hate you," she said sincerely.

"Oh," Evelyn's face relaxed, and a small smile grew on it. "Then...thanks, for what you did for me, that is."

Victoire smiled weakly, more concerned about what she had lost than what she had gained.

--

_Artist: Lenka_


	5. Sorry Seems to be The Hardest Word

**Sorry seems to be the hardest word**

_October 15, 2011_

Victoire had gotten accustomed to the shade of a very specific tree by the lake. She valued the quiet times she spent by herself at Hogwarts, she was able to read at those sporadic moments.

Teddy had noticed this; he had noticed that if she wasn't with Evelyn then she was bound to be by herself under the robust tree. Lately it didn't take him long to find her, maybe because he was aware of the fact that he had to talk to her. But he hadn't built the courage to walk up to her since his abnormal loss of temper. He felt too bad to face her, and he was certain that there was almost nothing more intimidating than that girl's eyes when she was upset, and he knew for a fact that she was upset.

He remembered well that in the many fights he had gotten into with Victoire before, he had never reacted in the way he did a few days ago. He wasn't quite sure of the reason for his behaviour, he wanted to blame her ease to disobey simple directions, but that wasn't really it. Maybe, it was simply that after all those years of knowing her, he was still easily drawn into her plans, even when he least expected it, and even though he was two whole years older than her and should be able to control her by now.

None of that really mattered, anyway. Victoire was Victoire and that was the end of that. Hurting her with stupid, meaningless words was not what he wanted.

He finally got tired of looking at her from the distance and walked towards the tree where she was quietly settled at. He stopped when he was just a few feet away from her. He didn't talk, he just looked at the girl. She was laying her back against the wood, with an astronomy book resting on her legs. Her long hair was tangling around her neck and she didn't bother to push it away, a sign of mere concentration. But the real sign of how comfortable she was with the spot was the sight of her bare feet, pressed against the green grass.

Teddy stuck his hands in his pockets, waiting for her to react towards his presence. She didn't notice him until his shadow covered the constellation map she was reading, and Victoire raised her head to the sight of Teddy's silhouette. The girl's eyes were firm, and Teddy made a another mental note to remind himself that _nothing_ was as intimidating as Victoire's eyes when she was mad.

"Vic, I..."

"I'm sorry," she said in a very apathetic tone of voice. "But I have to go someplace." She picked her books in a quick move and stood up from her spot, her back as straight as her own pride.

"No you don't. It's Saturday. Where could you possibly need to go to on a Saturday?"

"That's none of your business," she said with her head up.

"Vic, come on, I—."

"—I'm just doing what you told me to. I'm staying away from you," she said coldly, taking a step forward.

"Vic..." he said softly, blocking her way, his voice as humble as his attitude. Victoire looked at him, grabbing her book tightly against her chest. Teddy was oblivious that at that same moment Victoire was making a mental note that stated that _nothing_ was more manipulative than Teddy's eyes when he was truly sad. It was like having to stare at an abandoned puppy, and that made Victoire vulnerable.

"I...can we talk?" he shrugged. He wasn't very eloquent, but Victoire could translate his few words and gestures more than well. She nodded, and sat back on the grass, where she waited patiently for him to do the same. Once Teddy sat by her neither of them looked at each other.

"So...I. Well, I'm..." he sighed strongly, realizing that it was insanely hard to spit everything out. "I didn't mean...you know I didn't mean."

"Actually..." she interrupted firmly, "I've never heard you talking like that. So, I'm guessing you meant every word you said."

"But I didn't! I...I was just...so mad at you," he said, pressing his hands against the grass.

"Why?"

"For not listening!" He realized. "You never listen to me. And you got us both into detention thanks to that."

"I listen to you..." she mumbled, aware that Teddy's words were actually true.

"No, you don't..." he insisted, looking straight at her. A silence grew between them, Teddy was sure that it was still his turn to talk. "Still...I didn't mean a word. I didn't," he repeated. Victoire bit her lower lip gently and after seeing that Teddy wasn't going to continue, she decided to give him a little push.

"So...that makes you..." she said, gesturing with her hands to motivate him to finish the sentence.

"...and arse?" he said teasing, smiling slightly.

"What? No!!!" she slapped his arm gently. "I mean, _besides_ that."

"Oh! right, sorry," he said straight to her eyes, which had softened considerably by now.

Victoire smiled, as if she had just received heaven in one little word.

"And I'm sorry for getting you into detention."

"Nah, forget it. It wasn't my first anyway," he admitted with a shrug and a wide, mischievous smile.

"What? It wasn't?" She said shocked, her mouth opened widely. "I can't believe you! You made me feel so bad about it!"

"I told you, detention wasn't what made me mad at all." This time Victoire punched his arm with her closed fist. "Ouch!" he complained as he covered his arm to protect himself. "Anyway, it was never anything serious, and I never got so many points taken off my house before." Teddy was too modest to admit that without trying too hard, he was one of the Professors' favourite students. He wasn't the top grade in every subject but he was by far the most polite, and his personality won more than one of the teachers' hearts.

Victoire sighed. "Don't remind me. Everybody hates me for taking 50 points off Ravenclaw."

"They'll get over it, you'll see. Ravenclaws can be control freak sometimes."

"Hey!"

"Well, it's true," he said mockingly. Victoire smiled thoughtfully, and Teddy wondered if she was admitting to herself that that was one of her traces.

"Anyway, you have to learn to move around the castle at night. It has its tricks you know," he suggested. Victoire arched her eyebrow suspiciously.

"Are you an expert or something?"

"Nah...i'm just a beginner," he smiled widely, a smiled that Victoire returned.

"I have to go now," she said picking her things. "Evelyn is waiting for me."

"That was nice by the way...what you did, I mean."

Victoire stood up and shrugged. "From what she has told me, her father can be...quite hard on her sometimes."

"Huh...Ravenclaw?"

"Yes...why?

"See? Control freaks," he said smiling up to her, lying carelessly against the tree.

Victoire rolled her eyes and turned to walk away. But before leaving she couldn't stop herself from asking Teddy what she considered to be a important matter.

"Teddy...are we friends?" she said seriously and Teddy raised an eyebrow.

"Where did that question come from?"

"Well...if we're not family...which we definitely are not," she said with emphatically "...then, are we friends?" she asked again, giving the subject a serious tone.

"Of course we are!" he said.

"So, we are not just two people who know each other?"

"Definitely no..." he answered plainly.

"Good, then." She smiled, and turned to walk to the castle.

--

_A/N: Well, that's that! I'm done with 11 year old Victoire and 13 year old Teddy. I'm doing another fast forward in time. Please...Review! Artist of this chapter's song: Elton John or Ray Charles, take your pick_


	6. Can't Fight the Moonlight

_A/N: Thank you so much for your previous reviews! So, this chapter is the beginning of a whole deal of things and it was a lot of fun to write. Please do read it!_

**Can't Fight The Moonlight**

September 20th, 2015

Three shadows sneaked in the night. One was short and slim; the other one was tall and robust, while the third one was simply thin and had a standard height. Nobody would recognize them from the distance, but if anybody walked close enough they would find that the first shadow belonged to a guy named Jack, whose hair was a dark shade of brown and whose eyes were as blue as humanly possible; the second guy, Robert, better known as Bob, had black messy hair; the third one, known as Ted by his friends, was wearing his hair black as well, but contrary to his two friends, he did it because he pleased.

"Come on, go ahead Ted," insisted Jack as they sneaked behind the walls of the Quidditch pitch, where a group of persistent Ravenclaws were practicing. It was only the beginning of the year and they had already held in reserve the pitch for three times a week, determined by their new captain, to win that year's tournament. Teddy and his friends simply took advantage of the students, who insisted in staying at the pitch until the caretaker threw them out. It was all Jack's idea, but Teddy and Robert went along with it just fine.

"I think we should be heading back," whispered Robert.

"Come on! I bet this time they'll run out to the castle, like they did last time!" assumed Jack.

Teddy smirked to the memory of it, and that was the last push he needed to make up his mind.

With amazing nature, as if it were as easy as speaking can be, a loud, sharp sound came out of Ted's mouth. He howled vigorously, to the full moon, to the sky in general. There could be no difference between his sound and the one wolves and –most importantly- werewolves make.

Robert and Jack choked in laughter, as they heard the pitch falling into complete silence. Teddy waited for a minute to howl again, and this time it was so loud that even a girl inside screamed in surprise.

In less than a minute, the pitch was emptied by the scared Ravenclaws, and Jack and Robert couldn't breathe, suffocating in laughter. After making sure that nobody else was around to see them, the three friends walked carefully on their way back to the castle.

"What. Are. You. Doing?" asked a solemn voice behind Ted. Jack and Robert had been walking fast ahead of him and it was Teddy the one who stopped to see the only person he wouldn't believe to be at the Quidditch pitch that late at night. Actually, he wouldn't have believed her to be at the Quidditch pitch at any hour of the day.

Victoire, one hand on her waist firmly, had that disapproving look she wore whenever she thought something was out of place.

"Victoire?" asked Teddy surprised, as he checked that his two friends had left him behind, caught up in another one of their random conversations.

"I knew it was you from the moment I heard you," she said seriously. Teddy stuck his hands in his pockets, somehow intimidated by the girl's hard face.

"Come on…" he said, staring at her with innocent eyes. "You used to like it when I howled!" Victoire raised one of her thin eyebrows.

"Well, I don't like it when you scare people off the pitch!" she scolded, but Teddy noticed with surprising ease that she was fighting her mouth from twisting into a smile. After all, when they were just kids she was the one who encouraged him to do so, especially during full moons, because it would freak anybody out of their shoes.

"Don't fool yourself…" he said smiling slightly.

"I am not…" she insisted plainly. But in the end she gave into a small, modest smile. Teddy glanced at the badge on her robes; it was shinning insanely due to the full moon that was above them.

But before they could say anything else, a howling was heard. Somewhere in the forbidden forest, a wolf or maybe something else was howling at the night's full moon.

"That…that wasn't me," he said astonished.

"I know that!" she said, staring at the forest. "We should go inside," whispered Victoire absently, caught up in the sounds, suddenly noticing that they were alone.

Without pronouncing a word they walked together to the castle and none of them noticed how late it was until they found that its doors were strictly closed.

"What? I don't believe this!" exclaimed Victoire, staring at her watch to verify the time. It was, in fact, quite late, and Teddy acknowledged that Robert and Jack must have been the last ones to go inside before the doors were closed.

"What now?" he wondered. "Maybe if we yell we could—"

"—What? No!" she reacted. I'm not supposed to be out here this late. I'm not in the team, I wasn't even supposed to be at the pitch!"

"So? Relax—"

"Relax?" we are barely beginning the year, I haven't been a prefect for more than two weeks—"

"—Really Vic, when did you become so uptight?" Asked Teddy. He knew well, though. It was at some point in between third and fourth year, when she began to care much more about her behavior. Being smart wasn't enough in her house, discipline was definitely a requirement. And while Teddy had loosened up to the mischievous ideas of his friends, Victoire molded into a better behaved Ravenclaw, without even noticing. Her top grades and her change in manner had won her a badge as a Prefect now, and she had determined herself to live up to it, even if it was hard sometimes to behave like a role model. Besides, Dominique was in second year, and she knew she had to give the best example she could to her little sister.

"I'm not uptight!" she declared. "I'm just not ten anymore, unlike _some_ people who seem to be growing backwards," she finished.

"Alright then…I'm going to pretend like I didn't hear that last," he said patiently, knowing more than well that there were some traces of Victoire's personality that were never going to change, like speaking her mind out loud more than she should.

He suggested walking towards Hagrid's house. He wouldn't mind in helping them enter the castle, unharmed from any of the teacher's reproaches, he had a soft spot for Teddy. But when they got there the house was empty, no one answered the door and Teddy and Victoire ended up walking by the lake trying to wonder how they were going to head back.

"I insist," said Teddy, taking a seat on the ground in a clear area by the lake, Victoire followed his movements. "You're over reacting, let's just go back and—"

"—I'm not going in there unless it's unnoticed. I'm not giving Professor Slade the satisfaction of saying that it was a mistake to name me Prefect," she said firmly.

"Fine, then," he whispered, looking at her, the moon was bright enough to illuminate her face perfectly.

--

Teddy and Victoire were laid on the grass. After almost an hour of being exiled from the castle they had nothing better to do than to stare at the bright, silver full moon above them. Teddy had stopped insisting on going back; he had been silent for a while, they both had, just like they had been staring blankly at the moon above them.

"I was a pain, wasn't I?" questioned Victoire out of nowhere, trying to get her mind off the moon above her.

"What?" he replied, estranged.

"I used to push you around too much," she whispered looking at him. He was lying only a foot away from her. Teddy was silent for a moment, he moved his mouth, wondering whether he should answer the question with complete honestly. "Go on…you can say it," she encouraged.

"Well, I was… kind of scared of you…I think."

"You were scared of me?" she asked, laughing in amusement. "Why?"

"When we were little…yes, I was."

Victoire laughed out loud. "I don't believe it."

"Well, believe it. You had the craziest ideas, and I always ended up getting involved in them. And everybody assumed that I had to take care of you because I was two years older…but, who the hell took care of me?" Victoire's laughter was getting louder by the second. "I always ended up doing what you said." Victoire silenced to that last.

"I was one manipulative b—witch, wasn't I?" she asked. Teddy raised his eyebrows.

"I like to think you were rather persuasive, that's all," he said in a shrug.

"In my defense… I was just a girl. I used to be irresponsible, I was—"

"Stubborn, rebel, a little self conceited…"

"Thanks!" she stopped him. "I think I got it," she frowned. "Anyway, I grew out of it," she said, very secure.

"And yet…I am here, trapped outside the castle, in the middle of the night," he reminded her, a smile playing teasingly on his lips. Victoire bit her lower lip, she did feel a little guilty.

"You wouldn't be here if you hadn't been howling!"

"Anyway," he said switching subjects. "What were you doing at the pitch?"

"Just…watching the practice." Teddy frowned.

"But you don't like Quidditch," he said forwardly. Teddy wasn't a fan of the sport either, a reason why he was used to mock the hell out of Jack for being such a fervent fan. Victoire blushed, but the pink shade on her cheeks wasn't noticed by the boy.

"You seem to know an awful lot about me," she said annoyed, trying to give the subject a different direction.

"I know more than enough, not everything, though. But hey, you don't know everything about me either," he assured plainly. She surely didn't. When they were kids they could have known what they had to know about each other. But life changes kids, they weren't as close as they once were, and they were certainly not what they used to be five years ago.

"Then tell me one thing I don't know," she said turning to him, suddenly conquered by curiosity. She rested her head on one of her hands in the grass. He shook his head. "Come on! Tell me one thing!"

Teddy looked up at the sky for a moment, deep in thought, trying to find something he could share with her without it being too embarrassing. A silence, wider than the lake in front of them grew for a few minutes. The moon above them reminded him of only one subject.

"Forget it," he said.

"Oh, Come on! Just one thing! Something you wouldn't tell anybody else," she insisted. "What? You don't trust me anymore?" she finally asked.

"Alright…" he said breathing in. "I...I hate that people I barely know, know more about my parents than I do." Victoire looked into his eyes, she wasn't expecting an information that profound. She thought he would share something random, like a girl he fancied or the reason why he still, at the age of 17, sometimes had chocolates for breakfast whenever his Grand sent them to him. But that was more than she had been expecting. "I don't tell people that." Victoire didn't answer, not because she was uncomfortable, but because there was nothing to say, there was nothing to do but listen.

"What's worse, nobody ever says everything they know." He was right about that. More than once had Victoire overheard conversations she was sure nobody ever held in front of him. "I even found letters, in the attic, in one of their boxes." Victoire stared at him with expectation. "The letters were mostly from her. But the ones that actually were from him…" he stopped for a moment. "They were so…cold." Victoire didn't blink. "He tryed to distance himself from her, he didn't want her with him. That's all I could make out from what he wrote," he said, swallowing hard.

"When did you find them?" She asked.

"Last summer."

"You didn't ask anyone about them?" Teddy shook his head. There was no reason he should ask anyone, he didn't want to be lied to, or find out something he didn't want to know.

"Teddy…" she whispered, reaching for his hand, which was laying on the grass between their bodies. "We don't know anything about them, and those letters don't mean that he didn't love her. He had a child with her, and that speaks for itself."

Teddy turned and glanced at her.

"You should talk to Uncle Harry about it…or my dad, maybe. He was a close friend of your mum's, and he would never lie to you," she assured. After a moment she said the only thing she was sure of. "From what I know…and…for what it's worth, your father was a great man."

"See…even you know more about him," he pointed out. Victoire chuckled and pressed her hand tightly against his.

"Now tell _me_ something I don't know about you," he said, a bit more cheerful by now. Victoire sighed. Nothing could top the significance of his confession.

"My dad can't sleep tonight," she said suddenly, staring at the silver moon in the sky. At first Teddy had no idea of the reason for such comment.

"Come again?"

"Full moons. He can't sleep during full moons."

"But…he, he isn't a…"

"No, he isn't a werewolf, but he acts very weird. His temper changes and he spends the entire night struggling. He got more than scars from the attack."

"I didn't know that," he said, trying to sound comprehensively.

"He doesn't talk about it."

Teddy stared at Victorie's plain face. None of them spoke during the upcoming minutes.

"You cheated, you know?" he finally said.

"What?"

"You didn't tell me something about you, you told me something about your dad," he said brightly, and Victoire smiled slightly.

"I can't stand to see him like that," she admitted. "I pretend to not notice, but I always do." This time it was Ted the one who didn't blink for a moment. "Since he doesn't sleep during those nights he sits outside the cottage instead. I sit with him sometimes; we talk about stuff… until dawn. I think it eases things for him when he has someone to talk to, and I hate it that I'm not there right now."

"That's…I didn't…wow," he said, his throat rough. He glanced at the girl beside him; she didn't do anything besides looking at the moon above. There was a lot in common between the two, far much than they could admit.

The subject died, along with the chance of sustaining any other conversation. None of them wondered about the time, and their silence turned the environment drowsy. Teddy's eyes were heavy, and after fighting it for a couple of minutes, he gave into the request of his tired body and closed his eyes completely. The howling of the wolves hummed in his ears, lulling him into a profound sleep.

--

_A/N: Remember…any comments, questions, etc, just ask! Please Review! Artist: Leann Rimes_


	7. Only When I sleep

**Only When I sleep**

_September 20th__, 2015...later that night_

The cold breeze caressed Teddy's skin, awaking him slowly, notion less of where he was. Suddenly, soft fingers grabbed the border of his face. He opened his eyes softly and found Victoire's face uncomfortably close to his. Her mouth hesitated around his skin, touching it slightly and Teddy, consummated in sudden shock, grabbed her wrists to pull the girl away.

"What the—what are you doing?" he asked horrified, but he didn't receive an answer. Her mouth moved but her slim lips made no sounds. She released one hand from his grip and grabbed his face again. Teddy's head tensioned against the ground.

He couldn't ignore the shiver that went up his spine once he felt her lips on his, and after not responding for a while he released her imprisoned hand to grab her face tightly. His fingers ran down her long hair. It wasn't long before he was embracing her towards him as he tasted her, giving in completely...

Teddy's eyes opened abruptly, he raised his thorax from the ground in a stressed move. He touched the sharp grass beneath him, and took both of his hands to his chest, trying to figure out where he was and who he was with. He soon found out that no one was as close to him as he had just dreamed. A few feet away, definitely far from his body, was Victoire, grass tangled in her hair, her hands rubbing her eyes lazily.

"You…" he said breathless, disconcerted by the games his brain had been playing on him a minute ago. "You…where you _there_ all this time?" he asked pointing at her spot. Victoire's sleepy eyes frowned.

"What?" she said puzzled.

"You…you were here…we were…"

"What's wrong with you?" she asked in a yawn and Teddy's mind finally cleared. The dream had been so tangible that Teddy believed it for a few seconds. But Victoire's expression was more than enough to prove how untrue it all was, and a sudden, confused relieve embraced him.

"We fell asleep," he concluded softly, looking at her estranged, hoping for her to stay as far from him as possible.

"We did," she yawned again. "What time is it?"

Teddy shook his head, and swallowed dryly, determined to do everything in his power to avoid reliving the dream in his head.

"Teddy, are you alright?"

"I—just… I had the weirdest dream…" he concluded and stood up from the grass before helping her do the same.

"About?" she asked, cleansing her dress, arms and shoulders from the grass that was piercing her all over.

"Um...nothing, just a dream. Stupid. A stupid dream," he shook his hands abruptly.

Once she was done she took her hands to his shoulders, to groom him from the grass as well. But Teddy reacted fast to the touch of her hands.

"Stop it," he said firmly, taking her hand with his and moving it gently away from his body. "Don't do that." Victoire raised one of her eyebrows.

"Fine," she said annoyed. "Be as cross as you want."

"Wait, who's that?" Teddy pointed at the castle, a silhouette walked out of it, holding high an oil lamp. The doors remained opened, either it was still early and the old caretaker was finishing his night rounds or it was almost dawn, either way the lonely entrance was their cue to finally enter the castle, and they didn't hesitate on doing it as silently as possible.

During the entire walk to the castle Teddy convinced himself of how unpleasant the dream scene had been, and how much he wished for it to never happen again. Of course, he insisted on ignoring the effect the dream had had on him. Once they were inside, he barely said goodbye to her before taking different ways, and the entire silent walk to his common room and finally to his bed was a repetition of mental speeches that prohibited him to ever have such dreams again.

--

A week passed by with surprising ease. Nothing rare happened during the days, and to Teddy's relieve nothing awkward happened during the nights. His bizarre dream didn't come back and he had shifted away any form of preoccupation.

The following Saturday, Teddy opened a small, blue box that rested on the breakfast table. Inside laid a substantial variety of chocolates, the best his grandmother could have bought. He took one from its rapper and slipped it into his mouth; dark, sweet, with a bitter touch, his absolute favourite.

With the companionship of the sweet split into his hand and mouth, he went straight for that morning's Daily Prophet to follow the story about the negotiations the Ministry of Magic was making with South America's magic association to protect Muggles from unsafe approaches with dark magic.

"You're a pervert Jack, that's what you are…" he heard Claire say as she took a seat next to him, but he didn't pay much attention to the girl's comment.

"Why? That girl's got something, I'm telling you," replied Jack, taking a seat himself next to them. "Great, Chocolates!" he took a piece of the cream filled ones.

"What girl?" asked Robert, who had just arrived as well. He turned around to look at the table behind them, following Jack's fixed eyes. Unable to make out his friend's target, he, too, grabbed a piece of the sweets.

"A bit early for chocolates, don't you think?" asked Claire, contradicting her question once she grabbed one and took it to her own mouth.

"It's never too early for chocolate," Teddy made it clear, before going back to the Prophet's story.

"So? What girl?" inquired Robert, his mouth filled with chocolate and his hands already filling his plate with the food that was waiting at the table.

"Don't say it," warned Claire.

"That one," said Jack pointing at the table in front of him with a spoon. Without taking his eyes away from her he grabbed the cereal.

Teddy stopped chewing and looked towards the place Jack's silverware had been pointing. It was Ravenclaw's table, were more than one attractive girl was taking a seat for breakfast. But Jack's spoon was very clear, it was pointing at a girl who looked rather a lot like Victoire.

Teddy muted. Jack was his friend, sure, but he would never be irresponsible enough to leave Victoire to his will, not even for one minute. He stared blankly at Jack, who still hadn't removed his eyes form the girl.

"She turned out quite all right, if you ask me."

"I don't think anybody's asking you," said Claire, who had taken possession of Teddy's newspaper. "You're so disrespectful!"

"Ah, come on, Ted doesn't mind…it's not like she's his sister…"

Teddy gave Jack a very hard, disapproving look. He didn't measure the power of his own expression, just like he couldn't measure the feeling that was developing in his chest, a feeling that made him want to smack Jack for looking at her like that. But instead, he waited patiently for Jack to stop staring.

"Right Ted?" asked Jack, his eyes insisted on staying on Victoire. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Would you just—"he didn't finish his command, for he preferred to pull Jack's scarf and wrap his head, especially his eyes, with it in a fast move. He then recovered his newspaper from Claire's hands and went back to reading as calmed as possible.

"What the—"

"I think you got your answer," said Claire, caught up in laughter.

Jack struggled with his own scarf before clearing his head again. "I was only joking!" he defended himself.

"Just...stay away from her," Teddy commanded firmly.

"Told you Jack, don't mess with other people's relatives," said Claire.

"She's not my..." but Teddy stopped himself from finishing the correction. He realized he wasn't reading the paper anymore, so he put it away and reached for the cereal box instead. Claire was right, friends should never mess with their friend's relatives. The thing was, that Victoire wasn't really a relative, she wasn't a cousin, or a sister, or anything else for that matter.

It suddenly became awfully weird, because he had never questioned his relation to her before. He considered James, Albus and Lily his cousins, because Harry and Ginny had raised him like a nephew. Ron and Hermione were no exception either. Ron had even tried to be his Quidditch mentor, although it never worked out, because Teddy was in no way attracted to the sport, but he did enjoy to no end the afternoons he spent with Ron and Harry at the tournaments watching The Chuddley Cannons lose, again and again.

Hermione, on the other hand, had been his official door to muggle reading. She had the best book recommendations, and she was definitely one of his best influences into choosing journalism for a future career. He admired her very much, and he never hesitated on caring for her or Ron like he would care for an aunt or uncle.

Rose's adoration and admiral for Teddy was something he valued as well, for she, like most of the Weasley kids had adopted him as a cousin. And then there was Molly Weasley, who was, without a doubt, his second grandmother.

He could make a long detailed list of the reasons why every member of The Weasley family was his family as well. But if all that was true, then why the hell was it so hard for him to place Victoire into that same category?

--

_A/N: Things are getting confusing...for Teddy at least. Please Review!!! _

_Artist: The Corrs_

_Lyrics:_

You're only just a dreamboat  
Sailing in my head  
You swim my secret oceans  
Of coral blue and red  
Your smell is incense burning  
Your touch is silken yet  
It reaches through my skin  
And moving from within  
It clutches at my breast

But it's only when I sleep  
See you in my dreams  
You got me spinning round and round  
Turning upside-down  
But I only hear you breathe

Somewhere in my sleep  
Got me spinning round and round  
Turning upside-down  
But its only when I sleep

And when I wake from slumber  
Your shadow's disappear  
Your breath is just a sea mist  
Surrounding my body  
I'm workin' through the daytime  
But when it's time to rest  
I'm lying in my bed  
Listening to my breath  
Falling from the edge  
But it's only when I sleep

See you in my dreams  
You got me spinning round and round  
Turning upside-down  
But I only hear you breathe


	8. Sideways

**Sideways**

_October 10th, 2015_

"_It happens,"_ thought Teddy as he walked to the Great Hall. Stuff like that surely happened all the time... To get confused, to mix up feelings...it happens. And it would all go away, as simple as that.

Besides, it was all going away already. Teddy was sure of it. Things were completely back to normal, or almost, at least.

He had convinced himself by now, that the dream he had had and the chain of emotions and dilemmas it had caused was nothing but a temporary delusion. It had all gone away, it was a onetime thing, and he wasn't going to obsess about it. He wasn't one to obsess easily, and he wasn't planning on starting now. Now, Victoire, _she_ was one to obsess with things, but not him, never him. He ended up blaming that night's full moon for it, yes that was it. Full moons have weird effects on people.

He walked to his breakfast table and sat down. He was done wondering about Victoire, he didn't care anymore. He was over it. As he was _almost_over the sensation he had on his stomach every morning when he spotted her with Evelyn, at the Ravenclaw table.

"Victoire..." asked Evelyn softly.

"Mmph?" Victoire spread butter softly on her toast, making sure every corner of it was fully covered.

"Do you think my eyes are sexy?" her friend asked, contemplating her big, blue gems in a small pocket mirror.

"Excuse me?" said Victoire, stopping her hand cold from taking the bread to her mouth.

"Do you think my eyes are sexy?" she repeated simply.

"Um...I guess...why, exactly?"

"Because maybe I should use it," she explained, putting the mirror away.

"Use it?"

"Yes, like…it could be my thing!" she said in realization.

"Your _thing_?"

"Stop repeating everything I say! Yes, my thing, to catch guys' attention. You know, like your thing is your hair. I've told you so, many times, but you never listen to me."

Victoire grabbed one of her long, silk hairs. Its rare colour caught eyes more that once but she never thought of it as her _thing_. Especially because she wasn't sure she liked it in the first place. It was just the _thing_ that made her kind of exotic, as Evelyn had said many times.

"I refuse to think of it as my _thing._"

"It is!" she insisted. "You should really wave it around more often."

Victoire chuckled before finally biting her toast.

"It's not just me, you know," her friend continued. "I hear guys saying it all the time."

"What guys?" she stopped chewing, her mouth still full.

"Oh, just guys..."answered Evelyn, seeming uninterested, and Victoire raised an eyebrow. "...and one in particular. Although I hear he's interested in more than your hair."

"What guy?" Victoire insisted, suddenly wrapped in curiosity. Evelyn smiled, she knew well that Victoire's attention was due to her current interest in a single, particular man.

"Victoire!" cried a loud voice behind them, and Victoire was forced to put an end to the conversation. Dominique was running into her sister's arms. "Look! Look at my robes!" she said proudly, showing Victoire her brand new Quidditch uniform.

The 12 year old Gryffindor looked prouder than ever. A year ago it hadn't been easy for her to be sorted into a different house than her sister. Dominique lived up to Victoire's actions, and she repeated her sister's ways as much as she could. So, when she was sorted into Gryffindor she immediately assumed that she wasn't smart enough to belong in Ravenclaw. It took a long speech from Victoire to convince her other wise and even Teddy pointed out that it was her outstanding qualities what got her into the house. Of course, it didn't take her long to feel proud about it, especially because she was leading the Weasley chain. And now, she had won herself a spot in the Gryffindor team as a seeker, something she had anticipated from her first day at Hogwarts.

"You look great," said Victoire, arranging her little sister's bright, blond hair. "Going to practice?"

Dominique nodded with excitement and held her broom tightly before saying goodbye and running out of the Great Hall. Without thinking into it, Victoire stood up and left the table, unaware of the calls her friend gave her as she walked away.

On the other end of the room, Teddy poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice, but he didn't get to open that morning's paper before being intersected. "Teddy!" said Victoire, sitting quickly by him at his table. He startled, but gave her a smile right away.

"Hey!"

"Teddy…" she said, her face lost in thought. "You're a guy—"

"—No kidding? he said sarcastically, through a chuckle, reaching for his drink and taking a sip of it.

"Oh, shut up," she said seriously. "I have a question… "she hesitated. "...a guy question."

"I'm listening," he said, finally opening the Prophet and taking another sip of his drink.

"This might sound stupid but...do you think my hair is sexy?" she asked, eyes firm and serious.

Teddy's throat locked, he chocked in his drink and got caught in a rather loud coughing episode. Victoire, who had misinterpreted his reaction, patted his back until his coughing got quieter.

"Alright. A _no_ would have been enough, you don't have to over react."

"Over react? Why are you asking that?" he said awkwardly.

"I don't know…I thought you might be the only guy who could answer with honesty."

"It's...It's cool," he spitted out.

"_Cool_? Well, I guess that's something," she said a bit disappointed, stood up and left to her own table. Teddy didn't avoid looking at her from the back as she leaved...just for the purpose of checking her hair out. He soon realized what he was doing and forced himself to turn around to read the paper instead.

It was nothing. He convinced himself that it was no big deal to be looking at her features, when he hadn't shown interest before. _She_ was the one who brought it up in the first place, so there was nothing wrong in looking at her.

By mid afternoon, Teddy sat by the lake with his three friends, all four of them pretending to be studying for their potions' exam on Monday. Their concentration broke with ease every other minute. Bob often encouraged random conversations, Jack preferred to lay on the ground with his book on his face to cover him from the sun, and Claire always ended getting caught in Bob's chat. But Teddy was, without a doubt, the more disconnected of all four. He should have been reviewing his notes, but his concentration was permanently disturbed. Instead, he was staring at Victoire in the distance.

She wasn't alone. She was speaking fluently with some guy, a guy Teddy recognized as Warren Lander, Ravenclaw's most recent Quidditch captain, also in Victorie's year. That's as far as he knew. He wasn't paying much attention to the pair anyway; he was just staring harmlessly at the girl, and her subtle smile. He acknowledged then that the sun's bright rays made her hair shine in an unusual, capturing way.

He shook his head and drove his sight to the parchment that was in his hand. But he didn't read more than three lines before lifting his eyes again. This time the wind was blowing near her, and her bronze, long hair danced gracefully to its rhythm, back and forth.

For a split second the wind stopped blowing and her hair settled gently on her very thin waist, a waist that curved her back into a svelte figure, and ended on the curves of her hips.

"Ted," interrupted Claire. And Teddy realized that his head had been tilting gently to one side. He saw Bob and Jack walking away from him. "We're going inside," she said.

"I'll...I'll catch up with you," he said absently, and as the girl walked away he was drawn to the sight of Victoire, once again.

The breeze came back, making her hair dance proudly again, and Teddy didn't make the smallest effort in looking away. This time he wasn't even bothering in being discreet about it.

Victoire's hair waved back and forth, around her neck, beside her face, until the breeze stopped and Teddy caught himself wishing desperately for the breeze to return so he could be seduced by the same scene again.

He stopped cold for a moment and gave himself a few seconds to realize something...

None of that was going away.

"_Damn it Victoire"_, he thought.

_A/N: Love to hear your thoughts! Review! Artist: Citizen Cope/Santana._


	9. Can't Get it Right Today

**Can't G****et it Right Today**

_October 31, 2015_

--

Teddy took another sip of butterbeer. The weather outside of The Three Broomsticks was cooling and Claire and Bob had settled with him in the warm environment.

"Why the hell would you hate Halloween?" asked Bob horrified, after minutes of having started a random discussion.

"It's horrible," answered Claire. "Little kids running around in these creepy costumes…I was once attacked by a little green, hideous witch. She took my candy bag."

"But…_you are_ a witch!" exclaimed bob waiving his hands around her.

"Yes, but…"

"I'm screwed," declared Teddy out of nowhere, stomping his bottle hard against the table. He had spent those last minutes contemplating Victoire on the other side of the room…again. Not only it was getting annoying to him, but he was beginning to feel he was being rather obvious, and the last thing he wanted was getting caught gazing at her like some pathetic pervert.

He had made a firm decision at the beginning of the week, he was going to talk to Victoire. What he was going to say wasn't clear yet, but he was sure he was bound to come up with something. He had given the subject a lot of thought, more than what he would ever give to this sort of thing normally. He was determined…he just hadn't found the right opportunity.

"What was _that,_ again?" questioned Claire estranged.

"Nothing…I just…I had a bad morning." Bob and Claire fixed their eyes on him, and waited for a more reasonable explanation. But to his relief Jack appeared through the door, dragged a chair and settled on their table.

"Mates!" he exclaimed excited taking his scarf off. "Oh…_and_ Claire," he corrected.

"Very funny."

"Guess what? Joseph Ralston knows some bloke in The Hog's Head who can get us a bottle of firewhisky. And the guys are planning a Halloween party at the common room after dinner."

Bob did reply to Jack something about the quantity of the bottles he could get, while Claire asked about getting something else that wasn't firewhisky. But at that minute Victoire and Evelyn stood up from their table and exited the pub. Teddy didn't hesitate, he stood up, tall in determination, drank some more and, with his eyes still on Victoire, set the bottle on the edge of the table. But the bottle didn't stand completely on the wood and fell on the edge, pouring the remains of the drink on Teddy's pants.

"Brilliant!" said Ted as he contemplated his wet leg. Bob burst in laughter and before being the target of his mocking Teddy left the room so he could catch up with Victoire.

He had decided to improvise, to tell her the first thing that came to his head. He knew he wasn't going to say _everything_ that came to his head, because…well, that was dangerous. But he was going to at least throw her a strong hint about how different he saw her lately.

He wasn't going to remain silent about it, not with her. He saw her everywhere he went and he was certain that nothing good could come from keeping that information to himself, especially if he had hopes for things to actually happen with her. Besides, it was _Victoire_, for Merlin's sake! It couldn't be that hard. It couldn't possibly be that hard to speak to her…

He walked for a couple of feet until he saw her again, her hands thrown against the glass of an antique store. She was whispering something to Evelyn, who was also staring through the glass. Teddy stood still behind her, only a foot away from the chamomile scent of her intoxicating hair.

"I think it's…kind of…ugly," said Evelyn.

"It's gorgeous!" said Victoire, as she contemplated a silver necklace that was exhibited in the middle of old books and pocket watches.

"It's…old," said the brunette girl.

"Well, that's part of its beauty. I think it's from the eighteenth century."

Evelyn wrinkled her nose, and Teddy walked one more step close to the girls, daring to interrupt Victoire's trance.

"Hey…" he said softly, and the girl startled as she turned around.

"Teddy!" she said. "Don't do that. Don't sneak up on people!"

"Hi Ted…" said Evelyn in a melodic voice. She was standing now very close to her friend, smiling widely at Teddy's presence. Teddy saluted back and slipped his hands in his pockets. He needed to get rid of Evelyn if he was planning to spend some alone time with Victoire.

"Vic…do you mind in—"

"Teddy…don't call me that," she interrupted suddenly.

"What?"

"Yes I don't like it," she said seriously. Teddy looked at her in disconcert. He had called her Vic since he called her for the first time in his life.

"Are you serious? Since when?"

"Since I realized that it sounds like a boy's name." Teddy shook his head at Victoire's random request.

"Never mind, I sort of need to talk to you—"

"What's that on your pants?" Evelyn interrupted, raising an eyebrow. Teddy looked down at his leg.

"Um…Butterbeer," he said quickly, trying to get to the point. "Vic, really, can we talk?" he grabbed her by the shoulder and walked her away from her friend.

"What is it? You alright?" she asked softly. Teddy stared at her mild face for a moment, and then looked back at Evelyn, who was now standing a few feet away from the pair, her hands crossed and her face hard and estranged. Teddy acknowledged then that he needed more than a minute, he needed the entire afternoon, and he also needed for Evelyn to vanish.

"I..." he swallowed hard, and felt rocks dropping and settling inside his stomach.

"Teddy?" asked Victoire.

"I need to talk to you"

"Well, then…talk!" she ordered impatiently.

"No…not like this. I mean, I need—"

"Victoire?" said Evelyn, who was now standing next to them. "We need to go." Victoire turned to her friend, and Teddy felt tempted to grab her hand and disapparate from the place.

"Go where?" she asked disconcerted.

"You know! You're supposed to meet…you know who!" she said, trying to keep discretion in front of Teddy.

"Oh, right!" she snapped. "Teddy, I have to go. Can we talk later?"

Teddy exhaled strongly. "Right…sure."

He watched the girls leaving, and he suddenly realized that he was going to need more than courage to talk to her, because…she was too oblivious.

"Brilliant…" he murmured as he began to walk back to The Three Broomsticks, before accidently dipping his entire left foot in a mud puddle.

--

For Teddy it was a fact that things couldn't go any worse that day. His first attempt in approaching Victoire had been a complete failure and he lost half his confidence with that. Besides, having butterbeer all over his clothes and dipping his foot in mud wasn't his ideal of a good day.

He had been sitting alone in front of the fireplace in a big, yellow couch for the last half hour in his common room, where an improvised Halloween party was taking its course. Jack had successfully achieved in getting a few bottles of firewhisky for the occasion, the radio was loud, and the environment was getting more active by the minute, but Teddy had secluded himself from the crowd of people.

He wasn't entirely alone though, two fifth year girls sat on the floor by his couch, whispering and giggling at each other. He had already decided on going to his dorm when Claire's presence joined him. She sat by him with two butterbeers in her hand, and handed him one. He received it with a plain face, doing a very small effort in disguising his poor mood.

"I really hate Halloween," she said.

"So do I..." he said rather bitterly, taking the bottle to his mouth.

"So?" she asked before she took a drink from her bottle.

"So…?" he talked back shrugging.

"Are you going to tell me what's gotten into you?"

"What? Nothing…I told you already. Bad day."

"Right," she said through a plain voice. She was about to say something else when Alison Wildfield walked abruptly to their spot. She walked past them and threw her bag angrily at the floor, before sitting next to the other two fifth year girls. Teddy and Claire exchanged estranged looks and Alison's friends immediately asked her what was wrong with her. Alison, in a furious and loud tone immediately explained that the only thing that was wrong with her was the insufferable presence of that Ravenclaw Weasley girl.

Teddy and Claire both directed their attention towards the trio, and Alison's friends had to beg her to calm down before she could continue her speech.

Once the girl took five or six deep breaths she said the one thing that proved Teddy that his day could certainly get much worse.

"That little manipulative—she—I just saw her snogging Warren!" she yelled in indignation.

"What?" said Teddy loudly, and the three girls turned around to give him a hard look for meddling in their conversation. They soon turned back and the two girls showed Alison their sympathy, Claire rolled her eyes and didn't restrain an annoyed snort.

"A bit dramatic...isn't she?" she said, but Teddy didn't answer. He looked down at the floor, his mouth open and his cheeks turning red.

"Well...we have been seeing them together quite a lot lately..." said one of Alison's friends, showing little surprise.

"That little...I swear, she's such a sl—"

"—Alison... It's not her fault they're going out," interrupted her other friend. "_He_ never seemed to fancy you." The girl's voice decreased and she fell silent the minute she saw Alison's killing eyes upon her.

"Hey! Ted!" said Claire, shaking his shoulder. Teddy had been stuck in shock for the last minute. Claire's moves startled him, his bottle slipped from his hand, and fell on both of his shoes, spilling its content. He didn't restrain swearing before he picked the bottle up.

"This is...brilliant!" he said loudly, doing his best to contain his need of swearing out loud again. Claire tried to calm him down and in a second she cleaned the mess with a flick of her wand.

"Honestly...what's wrong with you, Ted?" Again he didn't answer, and Claire shook her head in annoyance. He took a deep breath, he was sure his hair was turning red, for his skin felt hotter than ever. He wasn't sure of who to blame for his anger: Evelyn, for not leaving Victoire alone for at least a second; Victoire, for going off to somebody else, even if she was oblivious of his recent, unexpected feelings towards her; or Warren Lander, for being...a prick.

At that second Jack sat on the coffee table in front of them, he held two big glasses, both smelled strongly of Firewhiskey. He offered one to Teddy, and Claire was already reminding him that Ted didn't drink before he took the glass from Jack's hand and emptied the entire thing in a second. Jack, amused and pleased, ran to serve him more of the drink.

--

There are things that are erased from a man's head if he drinks more than what his body can take. He can forget he sang out loud trying to follow a song he didn't know the words to; he can also forget he tried to use a kid from second year as a therapist, telling him every awful thing that was crossing his mind; he can also forget he tried to hit on a former girlfriend, in front of her present boyfriend; and of course he will forget Bob and Jack saving him from being beaten by the angry boyfriend; but he won't forget the moment he met, in one of the school's hallways, with the girl that got him so drunk in the first place.

He had walked out of the common room to get –according to him- fresh air. The walls were spinning around him and the floor felt unstable under his feet. But one thing was sure: he wasn't angry anymore, and he had firewhisky to thank for that. His head suddenly felt heavier and in an attempt to avoid an explotion he sat on the floor, his back against the wall, and grabbed his face with both of his hands.

"Rough night?" asked a familiar voice. Teddy raised his head, and for some reason Victoire's eyes seemed even bluer, her lips looked even more desirable, and her smile seemed even brighter. She extended her hand to him and he took it. She pulled him up and Teddy stood up trembling, and had to grab Victoire's shoulder to stay firm.

"Teddy..." she said taking her nose close to his mouth. "Are you drunk?"

"No!" he said, shaking his hands, and almost tripping on his own foot. "A little," he admitted, and shrugged with an innocent smile.

Victoire laughed. "This is new! I didn't know you drank firewhisky," she said, taking her face away from his breath.

"Yeah...me eizer," he replied, his tongue tangling in his words. "What are _you_ doing out here?" he asked abruptly.

"Me? I'm doing my rounds. You're the one who should go back. You don't want to get caught by a professor." Teddy shrugged again, and mumbled something about not giving a damn.

Victoire held his hand tightly and Teddy froze for a moment. His skin was turning red again, and firewhisky had nothing to do with it. Before he could say or do anything, Victoire pulled him and started to walk.

"Come, I'll take you to your common room." Teddy did his best effort in walking straight but most of the time he needed the girl's support to walk properly. Once they arrived at the hall that would take them to Hufflepuff´s common room, Victoire let go of his hand and Teddy's stomach flipped once his skin was released from her touch.

"Are you alright? You seemed weird this afternoon," she asked, looking straight into his broken eyes.

Teddy felt the impulse of walking closer to her, of grabbing her face, of touching her lips, of placing his hand on her waist. But the little piece of sober reason he had left advised him to stay still, unless he wanted to mess everything up.

"I just..." he breathed in. "I just can't seem to get anyzing right today," he said.

"Get what right?"

"Stuff..." he shrugged again.

"Oh...that clears it up," she laughed and Teddy smiled to the sound of her laughter. He stared at her lips for every second until she stopped laughing.

"I really am screwed," he concluded out loud, acknowledging that he had never behaved like such an idiot because a girl laughed.

"No...you really are drunk..." said Victoire. "Anyway, go to sleep, your day will be better tomorrow."

"Right!" he snorted. "You had one great day yourself, didn't you?" he said impulsively.

"Me? Why?" she said, blushing immediately, and Teddy hated for a second the pink colour that was taking over her soft face.

"You and Warren, huh?" he said, pretending to be careless about it.

"How did _you _know?"

"Nozing stays a secret here for long." Victoire shrugged and smiled after a second. "Since when?" he asked.

"Oh...Just today."

"Zis afternoon?" he asked, feeding his unhealthy curiosity. Victoire nodded. "Of course...zat's...great!" he said in a very over reacted excitement.

"Teddy...you better go in. You can't even stand properly." Teddy shook his head abruptly.

"Unless you want to invite me in!" she said in realization. "Maybe treat me to a firewhisky?" she said in a very familiar smile that suggested mischief.

"Are you crazy?" he jumped and Victoire grabbed him by the waist so he didn't fall. "You're too young," he said.

"I am not too young!" she reacted, frowning to his overprotection, but Teddy grabbed his head again tightly. It was beginning to spin again. "You're a puritan...even when you're drunk," she said rolling her eyes at him. Teddy snorted, more than one thought had crossed his mind lately that concerned her and that was anything but puritan. "I'll see you around," she said releasing his waist, Teddy grabbed her wrist and stared at her for no more than a second before letting go of her completely.

Victoire said goodnight and through a mocking laugh she wished him to feel better, she turned around and walked away. Teddy grabbed his hair, his head had never hurt that bad, and he had never been that short of breath, but that second fact was not a symptom of being drunk.

"Brilliant," he said under his breath before he walked into his common room, where he had to do a monumental effort to get to the bathroom before his stomach got the best of him.

--

_A/N: That was fun to write...please remember to review. It keeps the motivation of writing going. _

_Artist of this song: Joe Purdy_


	10. Play The Game

**Play the Game**

_November 12, 2015_

_--_

The tip of the quill slid down the blank piece of parchment. He hadn't bothered in sinking it in the ink. His left hand, heavy and little inspired, went through the pages of his copy of _Advanced stages of Transfiguration,_back and forth, and after an hour there was little he had retained from reading.

The library was more crowded than normal, and Teddy had settled in a small table in a corner next to the restricted section.

"There you are," Bob walked from behind him, he pulled out a chair from the three legged table and threw his bag on top of Teddy's books before taking a seat. "I'm telling you, if it weren't for your purple hair I wouldn't have found you here."

"My hair's purple?" he asked, grabbing his locks in amusement.

"Yes, very manly, by the way."

Teddy shook his head quickly, his hair shortened a couple of inches and went from dark wine to light blue. Few times did Teddy's metamorphic abilities got out of control. He was a master at manipulating them, but there were certain things that escaped his hands, and when he was a hundred percent focused in just one thing, his hair for some unwelcomed reason turned purple.

"Was this the best table you could find?" questioned Bob, looking sideways and wondering his eyes around the room. Teddy nodded distractedly; he maintained the rhythm of his quill, pecking the blank parchment pointlessly.

"Alright…better get this over with…" said Bob, taking out a couple of books and a parchment, he made an effort to fit his things among Teddy's on the small table. "Transfiguration," he announced. "What do you have so far?" he leaned towards Teddy's parchment and found, with high disappointment, that it was clean and almost untouched. "Oh…well, better get started, I guess," he said through a sight.

Teddy looked up for the first time since Bob had arrived. "I think I'll pass this time," he said, moving slowly to clear the table from his things.

"Hey, hey! Where are you going?" exclaimed Bob. "We've got this exam in a couple of days and, let's face it, you're the only one who's got a clue with this."

Teddy stopped himself from picking the things that were spread on the table. "Oh…right," he replied uninterestedly, he grabbed the book again and passed the pages, as if he was actually looking for something. Bob leaned forward and his eyebrows twisted deeply.

"Mate…what's gotten into you?"

"Nothing…" he said immediately.

"Well, that nothing is getting you to act all weird."

"No big deal…" he affirmed.

Bob's glance was even more suspicious. "…And not that we didn't enjoy the scene you made at the Halloween party. I mean, you hitting on Grace in front of her boyfriend was pretty hilarious but, that wasn't really you that night either." Bob waited for a response but even Teddy's quill was more expressive. " You know, Claire keeps saying there's something wrong with you, I'm beginning to think she's right." Bob waited for Teddy to react in any possible way but, again, no sign came from the absent boy that was sitting in front of him. "Wait a minute…" he said, suddenly experiencing an uncommon epiphany. "That's it! You fancy Grace again! Don't you?"

For the first time Teddy reacted. He startled in his seat and gave Bob a killing eye for coming up with that stupid conclusion. "What? No!"

"You sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. Definitely not her," he ended.

"But there _is_ a girl, then!"

Teddy looked up again, and dropped his quill, a sign of partial redemption. He sighed and thought of it twice before giving himself into confession.

"Alright then…there's this girl…"

Robert raised his eyebrows, he leaned forward, as much as he could. "Mate, I was just taking the mickey out of you," he admitted, smirking widely. "But, who is she, then? "

Teddy's mouth shut down. He looked at both sides, and his eyes caught in a far away table the presence of Warren Lander with a few guys sitting with him. Teddy exhaled and pronounced no other word. Bob, who lacked of human patience, was persistent at insisting for some information. He finally got tired of asking and threw his back against his chair.

"What's the big deal about this girl_?_" he asked in a tone that suggested annoyance.

"That's exactly it!" Teddy snapped. "It's not just _this girl_, it's _the girl_," he admitted, and swallowed hard down his dry throat. Bob stared at his friend, as if trying to recognize a trace of Ted in the guy that was suffering in front of him.

"Finally!" exclaimed Claire, who had just arrived and was throwing her bag on the small table making it shake from one side to the other. "Was this the best table you could find?" she asked as she took a seat interrupting the two friends. Teddy's nod was as dry as the first time. "What is it?" she asked after examining Teddy's vacant face and Bob's curious eyes.

"Nothing…just that Ted's having girl problems," he answered, still with a mischievous grin.

"Hey!"

"Really?" said Claire, and she slid her chair close to Teddy. "That's weird, we usually never hear you talking about girls until we see you snogging them." Teddy twisted his mouth and turned red for a second. "Is it that Gryffindor girl? The brunette? Bridget something… I've seen her checking you out."

"I don't know who you're talking about," he said plainly.

"Forget her! How about Yessica Bodley? Now, she's got quite a—"

"—What?" he said desperately. "No! Not her."

Teddy cut the conversation cold, for it was turning into one of the less useful ones of his life. But with Claire on Bob's side, it was hard for him to control the constant questions of his two friends. Fortunately, Jack wasn't around to turn the conversation into an even more pointless one, he had Quidditch practice, and with the first tournament coming up, they rarely saw him in the afternoons. Teddy showed resistance for as long as he could, but as the minutes passed, Claire and Bob finally overruled him.

"Come on Ted! Just say who she is! We'll find out eventually," insisted Claire sharply.

"The thing is," he said to the interested pair, finally leaning forward himself and lowering his voice. "It doesn't matter who she is, it's not happening."

"Why? Is she with someone else?" asked Claire. Teddy nodded and tensed to avoid looking at the table where that someone else was.

"One word," said Bob proudly. "Sabotage." Teddy sighed strongly and leaned hard against his chair, while Claire bit her lower lip, trying to read him.

"Ted…" Will you say it already?" she ordered impatiently.

"Fine…" he looked at her, directly at her hazelnut eyes, savouring the silence before speaking again. "You know Victoire…right?"

The prolonged silence that grew between the three of them was the most uncomfortable that Teddy had experienced. Claire's sight froze on him and her lips opened softly but soundless.

"Please say you're joking…"she finally said, with a mortified voice.

"Mate…isn't she like your—"

"—Stop. Don't say it," he interrupted. From now on the words _sister o cousin_ weren't to be used in the same sentence as her name.

But neither Bob nor Claire stopped there. They both asked the same questions, or very similar ones. "Are you crazy?" "What are you thinking?" "Have you gone out your mind?" All these were of no use to Teddy. Yes, he was crazy. Of course, he didn't know what he was thinking and most likely, he had gone out of his mind. But none of that mattered any more.

"I knew it was a bad idea to talk to you two about it," he finally said, standing up fast for a quick getaway.

"No, wait!" Claire had grabbed him by the arm and was pulling him down again. "Sit back down."

It took them a while to get used to the idea, without making strange faces or asking questions that were out of place, but they finally got adjusted and only occasionally they looked at each other estranged. Teddy knew he might as well get used to it, they were always going to think he had gone mad.

"You do know that if you don't act right you can blow everything up…friendship and all," said Claire softly.

"No kidding!" he replied sarcastically. "The thought never crossed my mind."

"So…what are you going to do?" she asked, her eyes concerned for the first time that day.

"Nothing," he replied.

"At all? You have to do something!" she said. Teddy took his hand to his forehead.

"What?" he asked softly and suddenly interested. "You think I should tell her?"

"No!" she jumped. "Don't do anything drastic."

"You just told me to do something about it!"

"Claire, you're confusing the man here!" exclaimed Bob harshly.

"No, wait. You can't _tell_ her, just like that. But you can _hint_ her, as in give her subtle clues…flirt with her a little…see how she reacts," she suggested with an enormous amount of simplicity in her voice.

"Flirt?"

"Yes."

"With Victoire?"

"Yes!"

Teddy breathed in and this time he looked at the blond man who was at the other end of the room. He despised his guts, sure. But he was certain that it was a terrible idea to get in the middle of two people, especially if they just got together. After all, nobody forced Victoire, and that was for sure.

"What if…what if she _really_ fancies him?"

"Well, then…then you can really say you're screwed," Claire pointed out. But you can't go down without putting a little fight, can you?"

"I say you snog her. That will shorten this process," replied Bob, after being ignored for the last few minutes.

"Don't listen to him. Look, we have Hufflepuff versus Ravenclaw this weekend, and _he'll_ be at the field playing, while _she_ will be watching…alone," this time it was Claire the one smirking and Teddy couldn't believe his two friends' cold approach to the situation. The entire thing seemed somehow evil.

"I'm not sure this—"

"—You won't have many opportunities," reminded Bob.

"I don't know…I mean… I—"

"—Ted, I'm going to say this only one time," interrupted Claire, clearly losing her patience. "I've seen you with other girls. You're just a little...unaware sometimes of them fancying you. But once you get past that... you're better than you think you are." She smiled and Teddy's face burned a little.

--

_November 15, 2015_

"_And that's ten more points for Ravenclaw!"_exclaimed Alan Cade, Hogwarts' Quidditch commentator, meanwhile Teddy had _coincidently_ just spotted a long, shiny, beautiful shade of bronze hair that belonged to the girl he had been looking for the last half hour. Claire had been right, she was alone. Not even Evelyn was around which was a huge relieve.

Once he stopped by her, his hands inside his pockets, he hesitated and thought for a moment that it was best to leave things as they were. But then, she looked at him with her intensely blue eyes while flashing him with her ridiculously disconcerting smile and Teddy was back to his unreasonable self.

"So…whose team are you up for?" he asked randomly, looking up front at the game, Victoire laughed.

"Actually, It depends," she answered. "Today I'm up for Ravenclaw…"

"Big surprise…"

"But when Gryffindor plays…then I'm up for them…I have to support Dominique, you know," she said firmly before giving the subject a careful thought. "Not that I really give a damn about Quidditch." Teddy laughed, still not looking straight at her. "Speaking of which, what are _you_ doing here anyway?" Suddenly the crowd burst in yells and applauses.

"_And Warren scores another ten points for Ravenclaw!"_recited Alan Cade.

"Jack…" he shrugged. "He wanted us to come."

Teddy looked at the game arena again, but from the other side of the pitch he spotted a huge gold sign floating above a group of girls. The girls were dressed in scarves and robes from different houses. The sign read: _Warren we're with you!_ And the simple sight of that made his attendance to the game even more worth it. He didn't restrain the laugh that took over his throat and he even chocked a little, but it was completely worth it.

"What?" asked Victoire, at the sight and sound of his peculiar laugh. Once she looked up front she went pale, her face wasn't as amused as Teddy's. "Oh…_that,_" she whispered in embarrassment.

"Didn't know that you're boyfriend was one of Hogwarts' Quidditch stars," he mocked, grinning widely and later pressing both of his lips together to stop himself from laughing some more.

"_Twenty__points to Hufflepuff!"_ A portion of the crowd yelled in excitement.

"Oh shut up," she said before turning red to the sight of her boyfriend's fan club again. "It's…stupid, the entire thing is ridiculous," she said bitterly, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, come on…It's not like you have anything to worry about," he expressed, and he didn't look at her when he said so, to avoid being too transparent. He tried to look for Jack instead, and suddenly he spotted his friend above the rest of the players, his face wondered around in search for the Snitch.

"One can never be too sure," she said through a sigh. "Especially if he has girls sniffing his trail every so often."

Teddy chuckled again. "Oh please…" he said impulsively, turning to her for once. "They're nothing. _You_, on the other hand, now, _you_ are...a knock-out."

"I'm a _what?"_

"You heard me," he said with no regrets, smiling a bit. He looked up front again, pretending to be careless about it.

"Teddy!" she said, flushing by the second.

"What?"

"You don't talk like that! And…especially not to me!" she said, drowned in her own indignation. Her cheeks had turned into an apple-like colour by now.

"Fine," he said. "But the fact that I don't say it doesn't mean that I don't see it." Victoire's jaw dropped, and before speaking back her mouth moved repeatedly but made no understandable sound.

"Oh—okay. Shut up—I mean— knock it off!" she was uncommonly red, and suddenly Teddy felt oddly pleased.

"Hey, you were the one who told me, just a few weeks ago, that I was the only guy who could be honest with you," he stated sharply. Victoire looked at him, her face slightly mortified. Somehow he was getting back at her for making him so uncomfortable a few weeks ago with her ridiculous sexy hair question.

"Yes, well…never mind that. Enough with the honesty," she replied and Teddy had to bite his lip to stop himself from grinning. Oddly enough, whatever was that he was doing was working, in a twisted way but working.

"_Another ten points to __Hufflepuff! And the badgers take the lead!"_

Victoire breathed in and looked up front again.

"Fine, I'll stop. I was just trying to help," he suggested innocently, half shrugging. Victoire threw him a small, shy smile, and he realized then that the only time he had seen her so embarrassed was the day he accidently walked in a room while she was about to change her blouse, about a year ago. The only thing he saw was the smooth, white skin of her stomach, but that was more than enough to make them both go awkward. Not only had his face turned red and his hair turned into a hot, insufferable shade of pink, but her cheeks burned for the rest of the afternoon. He never mentioned the subject, neither did she, but today, her cheeks matched that day's colour perfectly.

"Stop helping Teddy," she requested.

"Alright then," Teddy smirked mildly to himself and after a very short while she went back to her natural, regular, comfortable self again. Teddy knew her far too well, and he knew it was going to take more than that to let her acknowledge anything at all. But at least Claire had been right, because playing with Victoire's reaction had been pretty much worth it.

"_What's that? Jack Harrison just caught the snitch!__That gives the house a total of 180 points! Hufflepuff wins!"_

Victoire's eyes opened widely, and both Teddy and her observed the shock on the Ravenclaw players' faces down at the Pitch.

"What do you know," she said surprised. "I guess Warren's fan club won't be partying tonight," she added looking at her boyfriend's angry face.

"Yeah, what do you know…" he said, his glance firm on her face. For some reason, for some bizarre, out of this world reason, Teddy acknowledged that the delicate blush that was fading off her cheeks was a real reason to celebrate the fact that his little experiment had been a modest success, even if she didn't know what the hell was going on around her. That small fact suddenly made the game that was just beginning, much more challenging.

--

_A/N: Alright, that's it for chapter 10! Thank you to those of you who always write, you guys make my day. Please, review! Say something!_

_Artist: Queen_


	11. Closer to You

**Closer to You**

_December 12, 2015_

_--_

Teddy's concentration was absolute. His hands and eyes belonged to the obscure words of the book he was reading. He wouldn't have noticed when Victoire occupied the empty chair next to him, if it weren't for the scent she involuntarily spread through the air every time she was an inch away from him. The library had been quiet and almost deserted until now, just perfect for the mood he was in. But from the corner of his right eye he studied her as she took her heavy black coat off and hung it on the back of her chair, a second later she had freed her long neck from the gripe of her blue scarf. She was settling beside him, she was definitely settling.

"What are you reading?" she asked, sitting quite closely. Teddy lifted the cover of his book so she could read the title.

_The werewolf of Paris _

_by Guy Endore._

She raised her eyebrow. "Is that muggle fiction?" He nodded gently and drove his eyes back to the book, not that he could keep his concentration any longer. "You got it from aunt Hermione's library," she said, not as a question, more like pointing out the obvious.

"I don't think she even knew she had it," he said deeply, eyes carefully still on the pages.

"You really shouldn't read that. It puts...stuff in your head."

"Stuff's already in my head," he said, twisting the corner of his mouth into a crooked smile. Victorie smiled as she shook her head in disapproval. "Besides," he continued. "Muggles have a different approach on things like these, sometimes they see what we take for granted."

"Muggles don't even believe in werewolves Teddy, they don't believe in anything they can't explain."

Teddy turned his book around and examined the cover. "Maybe this Guy Endore did. Maybe he was one," he shrugged.

Victoire chuckled softly. "You get weirder every year," she smiled her tempting smile, Teddy sometimes wondered if she did it on purpose, to make him unsteady. But he always answered himself the same thing: No, because to tempt a man on purpose she'd first have to acknowledge that she fancied him, or at least she'd have to know the effect she had on him. So, the answer was always no.

"Anyway, I brought something." Victoire searched in the pocket of her coat and pulled out a small brown box. Teddy recognized where the box came from. It was the same kind his Grandmother sent him every other month, always filled with chocolates. "To share, that is," she clarified. Victoire looked at him intently for a moment. Teddy knew that look well: eyes firm, suddenly dark blue, penetrating sight. There was something on her mind.

He lifted his eyebrows, and set his book down gently. "What are you trying to get me to do?" he asked right away, the suspicious tone couldn't have been clearer.

"What? Nothing!" she exclaimed, astonished of having her motives questioned, and before he asked anything again, she pushed the box closer to him. "Your Grand sent them to me, and thought I could share them with you. I'm betting you already ate your share." Teddy shrugged; he in fact had eaten his provisions a few weeks ago.

But Teddy didn't take a piece of the tempting sweets. Instead he recovered his book and opened it to the last page he read. Today was the last trip to Hogsmade of the year, and Victoire was sitting there, offering him chocolates instead of rushing herself to her boyfriend. That certainly meant she had a motive.

"What's really going on?" he asked, looking at her from over the pages.

"I told you! Nothing...I'm keeping you company," she said in an over reacted innocent voice. She really was a horrible liar.

He finally grabbed the first he found, light brown, sweet and creamy, not his favourite but it was still a little piece of heaven. Victorie followed his moves and a second later they were both concentrating in tasting the chocolate.

"So...where's the bodyguard?" he asked, trying to sound as mocking as possible, rather than sounding bitter. The question had a reason, wherever she went lately her boyfriend followed, which gave Teddy very few opportunities to gain time alone with Victorie. And he could swear he was improving with her. He'd seen more smiles, more laughs, more everything from her behalf, but it might have been a figment of his imagination. One thing was certain: the sight of that couple was unbearable to look at, for him at least.

"Warren?" she asked, giving him an annoyed look. "I'll meet him at Hogsmade later." Teddy simply nodded, pretending to concentrate carefully on his piece of chocolate. "I know what you're thinking," she said, after a few seconds.

"Is that so?" he didn't look up.

"Yes. You think I've turned into one of _those_ girls we often laugh at."

"What girls?" he played innocent, frowning slightly.

"You think I'm like those shallow girls," she said. "You think I'm a shallow blond."

"You're not blond..." he pointed out, smirking, and Victorie clinched her eyes into a very unfriendly shape.

"Fine. You think I'm a shallow person with unidentified hair colour." Teddy laughed out loud, but Victoire's face didn't relax. "You think I'm shallow because I'm going out with the pretty Quidditch Captain." Teddy chuckled again, put his book down, and took the darkest piece of chocolate from the bunch, although it still wasn't the kind he was looking for.

"That's not even close to what I was thinking," he grinned softly and savoured the slightly bitter piece.

"You know... Warren's a nice guy, you just have to get to know him."

Teddy stared at her intently, wondering if she was trying to convince him or herself. He wasn't going to allow her to convince him, because if she did then he'd be forced to like the bloke, and he wasn't going to try to like him, because that meant he'd feel worse about trying to steal her away. Warren Lander couldn't be a nice guy, he had to be superficial, and uninteresting to talk to, because otherwise Teddy would feel forced to withdraw.

"I never said he wasn't," he replied, his voice hard. Victoire nodded and a sigh escaped her lips. She looked at him for a couple of seconds, she bit her lower lip delicately, a scene Teddy couldn't stop admiring.

"You've changed lately," she suddenly said. "Or something's up with you."

Teddy grabbed another piece from the box, his moves cool and steady. That's what she wanted, that's why she was there. She'd seen something different. Victorie was very perceptive when it came to translating his moods and attitudes. She knew that beyond his regular good disposition and calmed exterior Teddy could break down easily with certain things.

Victorie had a theory, she claimed that he went through "phases" and that it had something to do with certain lunar activity. She once developed a detailed explanation of how the moon's position affected Teddy's behaviour at least once a year. He, of course, laughed until his lungs hurt, and didn't buy her story, but she was positive she was right, and she claimed that those days he would wonder around with complicated existential issues.

She was sure that during those "phases" he obsessed easily, especially if those things were related to his parents or any of their history. What was more peculiar was that years ago she had assumed the role of taking care of him during those sporadic times, hence the reason why she was probably sitting there at that very moment.

If only. If only she could be as perceptive as to notice the little signs he had been throwing her the last weeks. Sure, she could catch his deepest family frustrations in a second, but she missed easily the glances, the caring smiles, or even the words he had so carefully been placing on his mouth. He had concluded he needed a more drastic approach, and then again...there was the boyfriend.

"People change," said Teddy in response, he maintained his sight firm on her.

"Have I changed?" She asked, tilting her head to one side. He smiled again, there were so many ways to answer that question, but he kept his prudent discretion. He simply nodded.

"You've changed quite a bit," he finally said. Victoire lifted the right corner of her lip, a fainted smile. She reached for the chocolate box and searched deeply between the sweets, she thrust aside the ones filled with cream, hazelnut, rum, and finally grabbed what she had been looking for.

She pulled out the darkest chocolate of the bunch and Teddy's eyes shifted to Victorie's hand.

"No, you don't," he said and reached to take the chocolate away from her. Victorie outsmarted him and moved her hand quickly away from him.

"No! I found it! It's the last one!" she complained seriously, but laughing at the same time. Miss Stanley, the short, chubby librarian walked by and threw her a hard face for laughing so carelessly. Victoire bit her lip and focused on the wrestle again. Teddy moved his arm sharply and reached to touch her hand, she locked the sweet safely inside her fist, but trapped the tip of Teddy's fingers in as well.

"I thought you were sharing them…"

"Not the dark ones," she said tightening her grip for the sake of her chocolate. Almost unconsciously, Teddy wrapped the rest of his hand around hers, over her unexplainably warm skin. He wondered if the temperature of her body wouldn't melt the chocolate in a couple of seconds, but then again, maybe only he could sense that amount of heat.

"Of all kinds, this one had to be your favourite as well," he frowned, teasingly. She shrugged.

"Let go," she ordered.

"You let go," he said back, grinning elegantly. You couldn't really tell who was locking who. She gave him her hardest glare, but it didn't intimidate him one bit, if anything he was holding her tighter. After a minute or two she raised her eyebrow, impatiently.

"You could stay like this all night, couldn't you?" she asked edgily.

Actually...yes, he could.

He smiled lightly, and Victorie interpreted it as mere stubbornness for not letting the last piece of dark chocolate to her sake.

"Fine..." she said rolling her eyes, and she finally let her fist open softly. He knew she was letting go to please him, because she was always a lot more firm and stubborn than him. But he smirked in success and took the piece, brushing his thumb against her palm as he did so. Once he had it in his hand he broke the small chocolate in half and handed her one part. Victoire smiled before taking it to her lips.

"Is it about your father?" she asked out of the cold. Teddy looked at her, she was determined to know the reason for his weird behaviour, and she wasn't going to let it rest. "You said only a couple of months ago that you found letters they wrote to each other. Maybe that's—"

"—Vic...I'm fine..." he said softly, but very serious. Victorie didn't answer him, instead she took the book that was resting on the table and read the synopsis on the back of the cover. A second later she was lifting her eyes up to catch his, in an almost accusing way.

"A horror novel? You're reading a horror novel about werewolves?" she asked, a bit loud, because Miss Stanley shushed her immediately. "Let me guess..." she lowered her voice. "The guy kills himself in the end. Honestly Teddy..." she pushed the box closer to him. If it would have been Claire or Bob or even Jack he would have gotten up by now and would have left with his book to read somewhere else. But even before his unpredictable crush, Teddy and Victoire had a way with understanding each other. If she wanted to try effortlessly to lift his mood, he'd let her, at least for a while. "Teddy, why don't you talk to Uncle Harry instead?"

"He won't tell me everything..." retorted Teddy, his throat rough. "He never does..."

"And I suppose _this_ will?" she asked holding the book up. "Talk to him Teddy, you trust him enough."

Teddy smiled faintly. "I will."

A pleased smile played on her lips as she grabbed the last piece of chocolate from the box and handed it to him. "Here, you need it more than I do."

He received the piece, and again their skins touched to a point where he couldn't help pressing his fingers against her warm hand. Victoire stared at him and he looked back as intently as her. Their reasons for staring into each other might have been different, but that didn't stop their gaze from freezing for a prolonged minute.

"What?" she asked frowning. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Teddy snapped from his previous trance. "Didn't you have a date or something?" he asked evasively, regretting at that very second the reminder.

"What—oh! Yeah, I do!" she stood up quite fast, a bit unsteady. "I'll see you around, Teddy," she picked her coat and scarf and ran out of the place to get lost in the snow flakes that were falling outside the castle.

--

_A/N: Patience...we're getting somewhere. Please, review!!!_

_Brandi Carlile is the artist of the song I chose for this title. _


	12. All I Want for Christmas is You

**All I want for Christmas Is you**

_December 25, 2015_

--

"Merry Christmas!" exclaimed Teddy, resting his weight on the door frame of the Kitchen door of The Burrow. "I think…" he finished, once he saw the absolute mess that was now part of the room. It was far obvious that it wasn't Molly Weasley the one doing the baking today. The evidence was clear at showing that it was Victoire the one in charge.

"What the hell happened here?" he said at the sight of the place. A thick layer of flour and drops of chocolate covered the kitchen table making a weird sticky contexture that made Teddy wonder if it was possible to ever clean that up, even with magic.

"Hey!" she said, turning from the stove towards Teddy, with a wide smile. Her regularly soft cheeks were covered with Flour and Teddy didn't restrain a chuckle. "What? What is it?"

"Nothing…" he grinned. "Exactly what are you baking?"

"Not much. Cookies, an apple pie, chocolate pudding…"

"Oh…is that all?"

"Well, what did you expect? There are almost thirty people out there." Teddy looked back at the living room. It had taken him and Andromeda almost a half hour to cross the room. Charlie had been at the door chatting with George when he arrived, and that alone made Teddy spend ten minutes with both of them, since it had been almost three months since he had seen Charlie. After answering all of the questions that concerned girls as prudently as possible, he went to greet the rest of the family. But before he could keep walking he couldn't avoid being attacked by a group of excited kids, that involved Albus, Rose, Hugo, lily and Roxanne. All of them hugged him and pulled his sleeves down to gain his attention. Finally, after leaving his presents under the Christmas tree, saluting the men in the house, receiving a couple of unasked for advices from Percy, having his hair messed up by Angelina, kissing Ginny's forehead and Hermione's cheek like he always did, and receiving his traditional 2 minute long Christmas hug from Molly Weasley, he was able to ask Fleur where Victorie was. It wasn't a surprise that she was at the kitchen filling Molly's place in the desert department, but he didn't imagine he would find a mess that big, reminding him the many messes she made when she was eight years old and insisted on learning to make chocolate pudding when her grandmother wasn't looking.

"It is a bit crowded out there, isn't it? Has Grand Molly seen this mess?"

"Actually…that's what makes you so opportune," she said, her voice almost singing in over reacted innocence.

"Forget it. You'll have to clean this up without magic."

"Come on!"

"No."

"Please…"

He shook his head firmly.

"Teddy…" she asked one more time, her voice soft and melodic, she walked up to him a few feet, and was suddenly but pleasantly close to him.

Teddy didn't answer. He rolled his eyes at the pleading face of the girl, partly annoyed by the powerful persuasion of her glance. "That chocolate pudding better be really good," he replied as he took his wand from his pocket and pointed it at the questionable mess on the table.

It took him more than he had thought to return the table to its normal condition, while Victoire cleaned the pots and trays all around them. "There, all done," she said when he finally got the table cleared up. Teddy laughed again at the sight of her pink skin now also covered with chocolate.

"What? What is it?"

"Nothing, you just have a bit of…"

He took his hand slowly towards her face, to the corner of her lips, to brush away softly the chocolate cream. He did this as fast as possible, because if he let himself enjoy the feeling of the surface of her skin under his fingers, then he would end up aiming straight for her lips. And then, he thought for a moment, that if he stopped right there and fixed his eyes on hers, she might be able to see what he had been wanting her to see. Determined, he let his thump slip down her cheek in an attempt to caress the smooth, humid area of her lips.

_Screw the boyfriend_

It was a matter of inches, their distance was short. Her back was set against the counter and he could simply lock her position with his own arms. It was simple, far too simple, if it weren't because she seemed more turned on by the stove than by him. But he was willing to take the risk. He knew what he had to lose, but the hell with that, it was all or nothing. The stressful wait could be over soon.

"It's done," she said.

"What?" he asked quietly.

"The pie," she answered. The alarm of the oven had been loud enough but Teddy hadn't even noticed, even though a sweet smell of cinnamon and apples was swelling the kitchen. She walked away from him, towards the oven to pull out the apple pie. She immediately ran to the stove to stir the chocolate pudding. Teddy breathed, his hand was still feeling the recent touch of her skin, he soon realized he had been leaning forward, and he had been left in an awkward position.

"Teddy would you mind taking this batch of cookies outside, please? Oh, and the pie too," she said once she passed the desert to a clean plate.

Teddy grabbed the tray, exhaled patiently and picked the pie up before walking away from the kitchen.

--

Christmas at The Burrow was always loud and crowded, the tree was never big enough for the amount of presents that were always under it, and there was always more food than anyone could ever eat. It was a traditional scenario, one that Teddy had experienced since he could remember. But he and Victoire had a little tradition of their own as well. Every year they exchanged presents, and every year they gave each other the wickedest thing they could find out there. It all started years ago, thanks to Victoire's questionable taste while picking out presents, he began to mock her by buying her the same type of wicked things, and since then it became some sort of inside joke. But this year he had violated the rules and got her something especial instead.

"It's a little weird for a guy but…" he said between laughs, holding high a scarf that changed its colour every other second. They were sitting together, crammed in a small couch by the Christmas tree and Victoire had insisted that he opened her present first.

"Just say it…"she said, a shy smile on her lips that went along with the light blush of her cheeks. "Say it's a terrible gift…"

"It's a terrible gift," he smiled widely. "You're far better at making chocolate pudding than picking out presents," he teased and won himself a gentle smack on the shoulder. "But you know that already."

"You hate it!" she exclaimed with a chuckle.

"I love it," he said sincerely, straight and clear, eyes firm on Victorie's embarrassed blue gems. She gave him a slightly suspicious look but couldn't control her pleased smile. He took the scarf and wrapped it around his neck. The piece of clothing turned into a bright shade of green that matched the current tone of his hair. "There..." he said. "Do I look ridiculous enough for you now?" Victorie laughed again.

"You look pretty cool," she said, her face sincere. Teddy lowered his eyes and searched for a topic to cut the embarrassed look of his face.

"So…I hear Warren went to your house to meet your parents the other night," he pulled out, remembering that he had been waiting to get her side of that event. Dominique had detailed the night for him. It didn't take much to make her talk, mostly she only needed to be asked a question and she would answer gladly with details, dates and curious events included.

Fleur had invited Warren for dinner, with the interest of meeting Victorie's new boyfriend. Apparently he won the mother with his rehearsed charms. The father, on the other hand, was very hard to win. Especially if the boy was dating his precious Victorie. Bill had a great temper, and Teddy knew that his way of intimidating was silence and a rock hard Weasley sight. He would have paid to see Bill staring at Warren.

"Don't remind me."

"That bad, huh?"

"It wasn't bad more than it was painfully uncomfortable. My maman…she adores him already. But I don't think my dad liked him at all, although he doesn't say much about him…he mainly just looked at him like he was waiting for him to commit an ultimate crime or something."

Teddy couldn't help himself from laughing at the thought of Bill being less than pleased with Victorie's boyfriend. He tried to keep his laughter discreet but Victoire looked at him right away.

"It's okay, you know?" she said, once she saw him restraining his laughter.

"What?"

"To not like Warren."

"I never said I didn't—"

"—Teddy, please, you avoid him like he was a plague. You can't hide it, you're too transparent."

"I am, huh?" he asked, she nodded firmly.

"You are. But its fine, you don't have to like him. Actually, I don't expect you to." He raised his head, filled with expectation.

"And why…exactly?" he asked, almost choking in his words, his throat closing to the idea of Victoire finally leaving her long oblivious state.

"Because…you worry about me…"

"Right…"

"And you care about me…"

"Right…"

"And, well, because we're family."

_Wrong_

"We're…we're not...family," he corrected, his back straight and his voice suddenly dry. Victoire immediately rolled her eyes at him.

"Teddy, what's the matter with you lately?" she snapped. It's Christmas, don't be bitter and accept the fact that _we_ are your family." Teddy exhaled strongly and looked away from her, at Molly and Lucy, who were sitting in a corner with Fred, opening small boxes that had three golden W's written clearly. "I never thought much of your girlfriends either, you know, especially of Grace," she finished, with a little tone that Teddy recognized as pure Weasley irony. He turned around to face her again, now filled with a new form of interest.

"What was wrong with Grace?" he asked, and Victoire looked at him sternly.

"Well, for one she was always all over you, she never left you alone! Not even for a second…" Teddy smiled gently.

"So? She was attentive…" he said innocently.

"And she pulled you away every time you talked to me. Me! How ridiculous was that?"

"Well, she was over protective. But that's kind of nice when you think about it," he pointed out, his lips fighting the impulsive twist of his mouth. Victoire's eyebrow curved gently.

"_And_, she had the most annoying laugh. You could hear her from across the Great Hall. I always knew when she was laughing."

"Alright…I can give you that. But she had a nice smile..." he said again.

"Will you stop defending her?" she snapped, the exact reaction that Teddy had been provoking. "She's not even your girlfriend anymore." Teddy snorted, and Victoire's face softened to the sound of his careless laugh.

"Fine..." he shrugged and pressed his lips together to simulate a solemn attitude. "I Didn't know she bothered you that much." Victoire shrugged and an innocent smile fell off her lips.

"Never mind..."she said softly, and as she lowered her voice, he leaned forward to hear her better. "Did you talk to uncle Harry?" she asked, throwing Teddy off.

"About ?" he said distracted, or maybe more concentrated on her than her actual words.

"About what you wanted to ask him about your parents!" she answered annoyed.

Teddy shook his head and loud explosion interrupted the conversation. When he turned he realized it came from Lucy's spot. The girl's face was a dark shade of purple, and her laughter got caught in a coughing episode. Out of nowhere appeared Percy, who yelled at George reminding him what he had said hundreds of times about not bringing his explosive artefacts into the house, and especially close to his daughters. Victoire grabbed Teddy's chin, and turned him to face her. The proximity was almost ridiculous. But the crowded room of people reminded Teddy that doing something to eliminate the remaining distance might be even more ridiculous.

"Well, when are you going to talk to him?" she insisted.

"I told you…I'll do it," he said softly, but slightly irritated by her persistence. "Why don't you open your present now?" he asked, partly to avoid the conversation and partly because he really was looking forward to that. He stood up and reached the foot of the Christmas tree. He soon found a small box wrapped in a shiny yellow paper. He sat back on the small couch and Victorie took the present in her hands.

She unwrapped the present with delicacy, and as the yellow wrapper fell to the floor a gasp escaped from her lips. Teddy simply examined the look on her face, which contemplated astonished the locket that was inside the box she had just opened.

"It's…" she said breathlessly.

"It is…" he said back, smiling at her surprised reaction.

Victorie took it to her hands, her lips moved disconcerted as she traveled her slim index finger through the cold, shiny silver piece. The small jewelry fit perfectly inside the heart of her palm, it was slightly rough on the edges, but its diamond shape made it seem like an authentic precious stone. Victoire's eyes were soon captured by its shiny surface. She opened the locket, to the place where a picture should have been kept, and read out loud the J that was inscribed with a date below it, _1817_. The initial probably belonged to its previous owner. What had captivated Victorie's interest in the locket the first time she saw it at Hogsmade's antique store, was the history it might hold. She then realized that a much newer initial was written on the silver. A _V,_ with the date 2015 below it. Victoire laughed softly, and for the first time since she opened the present she looked up and met Teddy's eyes.

She didn't speak for more than a minute and her voice broke softly when she finally did.

"This is…I mean…it's"

Teddy shrugged. "It's not much…"

"It's gorgeous," she cut him. "Evelyn…she told you, right? I mean, I nagged her for weeks with it, but I never encouraged myself to buy it. I can't believe you got it for me, " she said, again looking straight at the locket. "I…and I got you a scarf…"she said horrified. Teddy laughed.

"It's not a competition Victorie," he said firmly, a frown developing in his eyes. He was familiar with her unhealthy competitive behaviour.

"I can't say how much I love this…" before being able to anticipate her reaction, Victoire had thrown her arms around him, tightening the grip fast. He got lost as soon as he smelled the chamomile that was hidden in the strings of her golden hair. His lips were so close to the border of her jaw line that he could have kissed her skin and she probably wouldn't have noticed. He did brush her surface slightly, as his hand posed comfortably on her waist, grabbing it tightly for dear life. "Thanks," she whispered close to his ear and a cold shiver took advantage of his skin and all the way down to his stomach.

"Did you just see what I saw?" Ginny asked Hermione, her hand holding a piece of apple pie, a few feet far from the scene.

"I think I did…" she whispered, her eyes as estranged as her friend's.

"Do you suppose he…"

"I suppose he does…"

The two women stood still for a while, both looking at Teddy, especially at the expression of his face once he and Victoire broke apart.

"Huh…25 sickles say she doesn't realize it for another year or two," said Ginny, as she took a spoon full of pie to her mouth.

"Ginny!" scolded Hermione, smacking her arm softly.

"What? Trust me, she won't!"

"She will! Unless Teddy's not being clear enough." Ginny looked severely at Hermione .

"Not being clear enough?"she answered. "I really hope you're joking. Besides, you're underestimating Ted Lupin, Hermione. He's not Ron _or_ Harry."

"Well...there you are right."

--

_A/N: I almost wasn't able to publish this. This week has been crazy for me!__I mean with the holidays and all..._

_I hope you spend a wonderful Christmas, and I hope you get everything you wished for! Happy Holidays!! As a Christmas present: Review!!_

_Artist: Mariah Carey or My Chemical Romance. Both are just as good._


	13. Angry

**Angry**

_January 23, 2016_

--

The air, which had been soft and manipulative until now had turned abrasive, cold. Teddy wrapped his indigo scarf around his neck, which turned into a light shade of blue as soon as it touched his shivering skin. With a soft shake of his head his hair went from electric blue to ebony black. He was attempting to blend in the crowd… at least a little, because if any of his friends were looking for him right now then his multi colour scarf or his tallness would give him away in no time. He took off at a fast pace so he could leave Hogsmade as soon as possible. It was still early and the school was bound to be deserted. He knew that what he was doing was rather risky, and he could get caught easily if he didn't move carefully. But hiding wasn't as hard for Teddy as it was for regular wizards, he had his ways.

Since the holidays Teddy had only one thing in mind. His head was full of questions with very little and very unsatisfying answers. But he was willing to use the small amount of information he had to find answers in other places. The reasonable part of him knew better, but his passionate side wasn't willing to give the subject of his parents a rest.

It had all been Victorie's fault. She had insisted him to talk to Harry about them, not that he hadn't talked to Harry about his parents hundreds of times before, but this time he had asked solid, direct questions, and now he wasn't sure if having them answered was a good thing. Sometimes there are things that are better to be left unknown.

Right now, he was only thankful for one thing: having the entrance to the Shrieking Shack figured out. To think that this was his last year at Hogwarts and that Harry kept the significance of that place hidden from him all those years still gave him a painful sense of resentment, a sense he truly hated.

"Are you escaping somewhere?" asked a melodic voice behind him.

Damn. Caught in action, and he wasn't even out of Hogsmade yet.

"Not anymore," he replied to Victoire, who was rubbing her gloves against her shoulders. Her cheeks and her small, pink lips were turning into a shade of purple due to the cold breeze that embraced them. "Where's Evelyn?" he asked abruptly.

"Ditched me…" she answered bitterly. "For some hot Gryffindor from six year," she raised her fingers to draw quotes when pronouncing the word _hot._

"And your boyfriend?"

"Practicing," she rolled her eyes this time, and rubbed her lips together to gain some warmth. "Or torturing the team, I haven't decided."

"Of course…"he laughed quietly.

"Where are your friends?" she questioned.

"Ditched them," he admitted.

"Huh…"

"Hey Ted!" yelled the exasperate voice of Jack.

"Damn..." he murmured under his breath. The task of escaping from everybody was a declared lost cause now. He turned back to see that Jack and Bob where both catching up to him remarkably fast.

"Guess what," said Jack once he caught up with Teddy and Victoire, panting fast from the running. "I have a bottle of firewhisky in my power," he said proudly. "So we are heading early for the common room. I already told some other mates."

"Victoire, you can join us," said Bob with a wide smirk, but looking straight at Teddy. "I'm sure we can sneak her in the common room..."

"Cool," she said before Teddy could interrupt. "I'm in."

"Forget it," retorted Teddy, who had turned his face to hers. "You may be little but dangerous."

"I am not little," she frowned offended, and a loud gasp of air left her lungs as a sign of discontent.

"Ah Ted, you're a blast to be around with…" added Jack shaking his head.

"Maybe we should get him drunk again…" Bob whispered, to which Victoire chuckled in agreement, and Teddy found himself losing his patience fast, he was beginning to feel that Victoire's twisted mind might be soon polluted by Jack's ideas. It wasn't a good combination and he preferred to set distance between the two.

"I'll pass," he said firmly. "And so will you," he remarked as he grabbed her arm softly and led her back to Hogsmade, leaving behind the complaints of his two friends.

"Teddy I don't need you to baby sit me. I swear, sometimes you're so…overprotective. It's annoying."

"Vic, don't give me a hard time," he replied once they had reached The three broomsticks.

"I think I told you: don't call me _Vic_," she begged upset. Teddy rolled his eyes severely and opened the door of the place so she could walk in first.

"Fine, I won't anymore. But you'll have to stop calling me Teddy as well," he said brightly as he followed her inside and reached for the first empty table they could found.

"What? That's ridiculous," she blinked.

"No it's not. From now on you'll have to call me Ted...or Remus if you want."

"I am not calling you Remus," she argued firmly, not noticing the expression of satisfaction on Teddy's face.

"Have it your way Vic..."

"Ugh...you're impossible..."

Teddy smirked shamelessly and raised his hand to the waitress that was across the room. Victoire crossed her arms on top of the table and waited in silence as he ordered the waitress two butterbeers. She let the girl walk away before parting her lips to speak again.

"You know...you never told me...did you talk to uncle Harry during the holidays?"

Teddy's mouth wrinkled at the sound of the question he had been avoiding. He nodded in response.

"Oh," she said interpreting his reaction. "I guess it didn't go so well."

"Could have gone better."

"That's alright. We don't have to talk about it," she offered, and set her palm on the back of his hand.

"Thanks," he murmured before the waitress returned with two bottles of butterbeers.

Victoire took her coat off and hung it on the back of the chair, exposing her neck to teddy's eyes. He spotted the silver necklace he had given her only a few weeks ago.

"You're wearing it," he said softly, pointing at her chest.

"Of course I am," she looked down and grabbed the locket with her fist, pressing it tightly. "I told you, I'm never taking it off."

"So...did you figure out what the _J_ stands for?" he asked.

"No luck," she said disappointed. "I just came from the antique store where you got it. The saleswoman had no idea. I like to think it's a woman's name, though," she explained with a soft tone of excitement.

"Mmph. Like Jane?" he asked through an uninterested shrug.

"Too simple...but maybe Jennifer," he shook his head to that.

"Nah, too actual. Juliet," he stated.

"Too classic. Jocelyn?"

He shrugged. "Sounds alright," he said, pushing one of the bottles towards Victoire and taking the other one for himself. "Or, you could always try Janine," he suggested before taking a sip of the drink. He didn't know where he got it from, must have read it somewhere. "Forget it. It's horrible."

"Janine…" she murmured while grabbing the remaining bottle. "I like it!"

"I should have known…" his eyes were blank for a moment.

"I also like to think it was a gift from her lover, maybe he died at combat or something," she said, hinting that her imagination was beginning to take over her. A side of Victoire that Teddy enjoyed fully.

"Maybe it was unrequited…maybe he never got to tell her how he felt . Maybe he never got to give her the locket at all," Teddy suggested spontaneously, feeling somehow bad for the unrequited fictional character he had just created in his mind. He hoped that wasn't the real story to the locket because he truly didn't want his efforts to end that horribly.

"Well…that's a bit dramatic…and depressing. Can't you come up with something better than that?" she challenged, and Teddy raised his eyebrow for a moment. He drank from the bottle again and set it silently on the table.

"Alright. Let's say he did have to leave…let's say he was an auror called in to join a battle provoked mainly by..." he snapped his fingers "...Giants."

Victoire laughed loudly. "Teddy please, don't continue…"

"No, wait. Janine…right? That's the name you liked?"

"Right."

"Alright then, Janine was the daughter of his neighbour. She was a gifted little witch, about seven years younger than him, and was madly in love with him. He, of course, could only see the girl in her, he couldn't see her as anything else. So when he was ordered to take part in the battle that was erupting, Janine made sure she gave him something of hers so he could remember her by. She gave him her locket, which he received out of pure courtesy. She asked him only one thing in return: to never leave it behind. He respected the promise and carried the piece of jewellery every day that followed."

"Teddy you really have too much imagination. It's not healthy, you know…"

"Are you going to let me finish? Do you want your locket to have a story or not?"

"Fine, go ahead," she encouraged, with little enthusiasm.

"When he opened it he saw that it carried the picture of the thirteen year old girl he knew so well. Thin, small, her blond hair tied up in a bow, her blue eyes too innocent to be considered. The picture smiled at him eagerly but he didn't care enough to open it again, although he did keep his promise and carried it with him during his venture." He stopped to give the subject inner thinking and Victoire drank from her bottle during his silence. "The battle took on for years and the auror was transferred to different points. After three years the auror found the locket far hidden in the pocket of one of his bags. He had almost forgotten what it was and when he remembered he opened it expecting to find the picture of the little thin girl, smiling and waving at him. What he found instead was a more mature girl looking at him intently from the picture. Her hair was longer now, and darker, her eyes had shaped into two beautiful blue diamonds, and seemed…not so innocent anymore. " Victoire chuckled quietly. He noticed she was leaning closer to listen to the story properly. "He realized the girl must have been sixteen by then."

"So the picture was…like a passage, a window to her?"

"It reflected the age of Janine. I did say she was a gifted little witch, didn't I? Anyway, after capturing the sight of her the auror couldn't stop opening the locket every single day…once, twice…every day and night," Teddy's voice became softer, for he had been leaning forward as well to give his story a little more privacy. "Two years went by, and there wasn't a day when he didn't open it, at least for a while…to contemplate the eyes..." he stopped for a few seconds to admire her vivid stare, "...the skin…the slim lips that looked so unbelievably soft. Having to stare at all that and not being able to do anything about it was…" he breathed in, "making him go mad, or so he thought. It was unbearable."

Teddy stopped and swallowed to recover from the dryness of his throat. Victorie's eyes were pending upon his.

"And?"

"And what?" he murmured.

"Well, what happened?" she questioned with concern.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "What do you think happened?" he asked back, grabbing the bottle of butterbeer that had been forgotten by him.

"Well…he returned, right? I mean, he has to return."

Teddy laughed. "So...you want a happy ending?"

"Well, don't tell me his head gets ripped off by a giant after five years…and of course I like happy endings! They're corny…but the world needs them to survive." Again teddy laughed and took a sip of butterbeer before continuing.

"Alright then…He did come back after five years. He knocked on her door, and she was the one to open. He looked at the stunning woman he had cautiously been contemplating in the locket, only that now he could reach and touch her if he wanted to. She, on the other hand, could barely recognize him. His hair was longer, and scars ran across his face. But he didn't hesitate. He reached to touch the skin of her face first to prove himself that she was real. It was then when she remembered his familiar eyes. So, filled with the confidence her eager smile gave him...he reached for her lips, the same lips he had been dreaming about for the last two years, to prove that they tasted as perfect as he had imagined," he stopped.

Victorie breathed deeply, her eyes stared intently and Teddy had to swallow again to speak properly. "I'm done," he said softly, and Victoire shook her head lightly.

"Wow…that was, um..." she bit her lip for a long time. "Well…corny." Teddy chuckled. "And twisted, and romantic. I love it." He smiled. "You'll make a fine journalist," she assured distracted.

"Thanks, but I don't think journalists are supposed to make up stories, they're supposed to _find_ good stories," he corrected.

"Right," she said closing her eyes tightly for a moment, as she shook her head again. "Sorry, um, you sort of…dazzled me with your tale. I'm…not...myself."

"_I_ dazzled you? You're part veela. You're the one who's supposed to be dazzling people," he teased.

"Oh, please…we both know that I didn't inherit my mother's skills. I have as much of a veela as you have of a werewolf."

"I don't know about that…you do dazzle guys around the school often..."

He smirked. Victorie lowered her sight away from his contemplative stare but Teddy caught the light blush that decorated her white cheeks.

"What are you thinking?" he asked quietly as he tried to catch her eyes again, leaning closely.

"Nothing..."

"Then... why are you blushing?" he asked again, his voice so soft it could get easily lost in the murmur of the crowd that surrounded them. But that crowd didn't exist at the moment for him, and apparently it didn't exist for her either. Teddy couldn't hear the rest of the people that occupied the tables of The Three Broomsticks. It all felt silent around him.

"Forget it," she insisted, still refusing to look at his eyes. "You're imagination is overwhelming, that's all."

"Liar," he drew a smile.

"Never mind. Let's leave it at that."

"I'd pay to know what you're thinking right now," he admitted.

"You don't want to get inside the mind of a woman, Teddy," she explained evasively. "Especially if she's three quarters of a veela." Teddy chuckled again.

"Are you going to have something else?" the waitress interrupted, and Teddy noticed that the place was almost empty, the reason why it was so silent. Outside the window the sun was setting down and Teddy acknowledged that it was time to head back to the school.

The walk back was uncommonly quiet. Teddy stared at her a couple of times, and so did Victoire, but whenever their gazes met at the same time she was the one to look away. Teddy was beginning to think that this whole affair of trying to win Victoire was creating nothing but an awkward situation for them, instead of bringing them closer. Right now he couldn't find anything proper to break the cold silence.

"You're being so weird lately," she finally said, through an elusive string of voice. "Maybe I'm the one who has to pay you to figure out what's on your mind."

"Yeah, don't count on that," he replied with a soft smile.

"Wait a minute…" she stopped walking, grabbing his arm so he was forced to stop as well. "How come I didn't see this? There's a girl...right? That's why you were sneaking off earlier. Of course! How could you come up with a story like that if there wasn't a muse in the way," she said vibrantly. Teddy's face went pale.

"You don't know what you're—"

"Of course there is! And you're behaviour these last weeks... It makes sense!"

"Victoire, you're starting to meddle in something that's none of your—"

"—Oh, come on… I know I'm not any of your friends but…I can help," she said, and the word _help_ twisted painfully inside his stomach.

"You want to help me with a girl…" he said sternly, his previous poor mood returning to him in a matter of seconds.

"I can try…" she shrugged.

"And you won't hate her…" he stated, again feeding his sudden irritation.

"Oh, Teddy…of course I will," she answered and he raised his eyebrow severely. "Nobody is ever going to be good enough for you. You deserve a perfect girl and since she doesn't exist..." she explained, looking at his coat instead of his face. Avoiding his eyes had never been a normal behaviour of hers until today, and Teddy wasn't sure of how to interpret it. "It's like me and Warren, remember?"

She had to bring up the unwelcomed name...

"Yeah, but he's the furthest from being perfect that there is…" he said, looking up at the castle. He heard Victoire's grunt. He retook the walk at a fast pace, beginning to wish he could reach Hogwarts soon. He had been an idiot for listening to Claire. He should have just...snogged her the day he realized his own feelings like Bob had suggested. Now, for being careful and prudent she was actually offering herself to help him conquer an imaginary girl. The idea was as pathetic as the situation could get.

"You know Teddy..." she said, trying to catch up with his fast pace. "Your story had a point. I mean, being persistent is important to get what you want."

"It's just a story Victoire," he said, his voice deep and heated. "I made it up. It's not real," he remarked coldly. "People get tired in real life." Victoire fell silent and Teddy didn't look at her the rest of the way, although he sensed he had disturbed her with his last cold comment. But he wasn't sorry for it, because now there were _two_ disappointed people walking back to Hogwarts.

When they reached the entrance they stopped at the same time, and Teddy was already wondering of how to get to the Shrieking Shack without being noticed like he had planned to hours ago. He shouldn't have let her distract him from his previous plan.

"I'm sorry if I meddled in..." she said softly, her eyes set on his right shoulder rather than on his face. "I was just—"

"That's alright," he exhaled strongly. "I suppose it's not your fault," he admitted.

"And I'm sorry if I ruined a plan you had...or something," she said and Teddy smiled weakly.

"I'm used to it, you always give a twist to my days when you appear," he explained through a soft whisper.

Victoire's face turned suddenly stern. "Well... sorry if I bother you that much..."

"—I didn't say it as a bad thing..." he rolled his eyes, he couldn't help it.

"Oh..." she looked up and smiled faintly. Her cheeks were pink again. She pressed her lips tightly together, evasively. He tried to keep his eyes firm on hers, see if there was something inside them that he could work with but she looked away...again, he was beginning to really hate her new habit.

To his surprise a small chuckle escaped her lips.

"You know...whoever she is... I'm sure it's going to be easier than you think."

"Oh really?" he asked softly, looking down at her incomprehensible eyes.

"Really. All you'll have to do is give her one of your stares," she explained, pointing mainly at his smile. "That's more than enough." Teddy's face fell slowly into seriousness. He didn't move, not an inch, and he could hear both of them breathing clearly, filling the silence. She cleared her throat.

"I have to go. Warren's probably waiting for me at the Great Hall."

She turned and walked away so fast that she vanished very quickly from his sight. Teddy groaned desperately to himself. It had turned into a routine, a routine that she was willing to keep up as long as she could. If she hadn't noticed anything by now then she was completely blind, and if she had noticed then she preferred to avoid him as much as possible.

It was impossible. No, _she_ was impossible, and she made him so...

"Argh!" he groaned again, grabbing one of his red locks tightly with his fist.

Every day he spent with her always ended the same way: with her remembering that she had to go off to Warren.

It was ridiculous

The funny thing was that Teddy rarely saw her with Warren anymore. During their first month he had to put up with spotting them in every corner, the great hall and the grounds. They were either holding hands, hugging or...snogging. The simple image still made Teddy's stomach weak.

He hadn't seen much of that lately but that was because the bloke preferred to spend time playing with a broom.

If Ron heard him talking like that about Quidditch...

But the conclusion Teddy was forced to reach that day was that the problem wasn't Warren at all. The only problem was Victoire. Her indifference, the way she avoided his sight. She would rather go off to a guy she was clearly not interested in anymore than to look straight into his eyes, as if she was afraid of what she might see.

He had been wrong all along. The problem wasn't that she was with somebody else. The problem was that she would rather be with anybody else than him.

It would have been easier to blow the whole thing off weeks ago. How much longer was he supposed to act like the patient idiot? Until she realized she was tired of Warren and moved on to another bloke?

No, that wasn't Victoire. But still, it was more likely that she'd move on to somebody else than realize what was right in front of her nose. And He could only blame himself for that. If he was going to be angry then it was only with him...and maybe Claire, a little.

Was the subtle strategy really that necessary? Was he really expecting her to change her feelings for him slowly...and how slowly was too slow? because at this pace he might go mad before spring hits Hogwarts.

Did he really care that much for the years they knew each other? Or was it better to risk everything in a sudden act? Even if that meant the possibility of damaging their relationship altogether, of losing their closeness, their tacit ways of understanding each other, losing her completely.

The thought of it all only increased the unbearable pain of his stomach. His anger was running up his veins, aching his skin. He honestly didn't know who he was supposed to be mad at anymore.

He was sure of one thing only, he wasn't going to feed this masochist situation...

He was done with the waiting, especially the wishing. If she was at a stage of avoiding him, then he would do the exact same thing.

"I'm done with this," he murmured in the sudden darkness that was embracing the grounds. He turned his face around and glanced at the whomping willow for a prolonged minute before walking cautiously up to it.

--

_A/N:__First chapter of the year! I'm back on track with the updating. Please, review! By the way, thanks to all of you who have been reading and especially reviewing this story so far! You guys make my day! _

_Artist: Matchbox 20_


	14. If It Kills Me

A/N: _you guys are great! Thanks for the feedback for last chapter._

**If It Kills Me**

_February 3rd, 2016_

Teddy's still body lay on the ragged sheets of the bed. His chest was the only part of his body moving at the moment, rising up and down with the rhythm of his breathing. His eyes, focused on the torn ceiling of the shrieking shack, weren't seeing anything in particular. His mind was busy reviewing the conversation he held with Harry during the Christmas holidays, only a few weeks ago.

When he knocked the door to his godfather's studio, he heard Harry's voice rather quickly, he understood then that Ginny had prepped him. She had seen Teddy's face when he came into the house, and while he pleased James and Albus by playing with them a round of exploding snatch, his aunt Ginny probably told Harry that Teddy's face declared a long godfather to godson talk.

She knew him so well…

"Come in, Teddy," said Harry, a tone he reserved whenever Teddy was trying to be serious. His tone always encouraged Teddy when he was little, it made him feel like a grownup. Now, he felt slightly intimidated.

A gentle smile played on Harry's mouth when Teddy came in and closed the door behind him. His godfather dropped his quill and leaned back on the black chair behind the desk to give Teddy his full attention.

"What's on your mind?" he said kindly, straight to the point. That was great about Harry, he didn't hesitate.

Teddy didn't speak. If he started talking he would probably make a mess of the entire thing, so he chose actions over words. He walked up to the desk, his lips pressed tightly together –if there was something he shared with Victoire, then it was that same nervous behaviour-, he reached the desk and dropped the pack of letters that had been on his mind and trunk for months.

Harry frowned. He clearly wasn't expecting anything on that level, he leaned forward and grabbed the pack. His eyes froze on the names of the sender and recipient of each envelope. Harry didn't open them; instead he dropped them back on the table, looked up at Teddy, and waited patiently for an explanation.

Teddy swallowed before bringing the dilemma out.

"The ones at the top are my dad's," he said and Harry frowned again. "The ones at the bottom belonged to my mum. My mum's where…" he searched for a word. It only took him a second or two, he was good with building precise words. "…kind of bittersweet." He shrugged. "She was even funny in a way. She was very…expressive with him. But dad…" he stopped. "He was so…" he looked down. "Dry, harsh, sometimes even…so mean."

Harry sighed, and Teddy understood that he was getting the point.

"What exactly do you want to know, Ted?"

_Ted_. He couldn't get more serious than that.

"I just…I don't get it," he explained encouraged, still on his feet. Something about remaining standing gave him a feeling of security. None of that has anything to do with the things you guys tell me about them as a couple! You all say he loved her, and…the things he tells her on those letters…the way he asks her to enter reason, he talks to her as if she was crazy!"

Harry laughed quietly for a second and Teddy frowned even more.

"What? What is it?"

"Teddy…it's not just like that…these things are complicated. It was complicated for them."

"Uncle Harry, I'm not eight anymore…"

"I know that Ted…"

"Would you just…" he breathed in. "Don't treat me like a child," he pleaded, his shoulders down.

"I'm not," he answered firmly. He kept his sight still the entire time. "What is it that you want to know?"

"Why would he even marry her if he didn't love her?" There, he asked it, finally.

"Ted…" he shook his head, as if Teddy's ideas where out of this galaxy.

"Was she pregnant? Did they marry because of me?" Teddy already knew that it was hardly possible, but he didn't have many ideas to work with.

"What?" he shook his head and answered plainly. "No."

"Was she sick? Did he feel sorry for her? I mean, what was wrong with her?"

"Are you listening to yourself?" said Harry, astonished by now, lowering his voice to calm Teddy's nerves, but it wasn't working. "You're assuming your father married your mother because there was something _wrong _with her."

"Well, then you tell me!" he said exasperatedly. "I don't know what else to think. I've been going through it for months!" Teddy exhaled strongly and walked to the other side of the room, where he threw himself on the soft, black leather couch that was set against the wall.

"Teddy," Harry said, taking his right hand to his forehead. "Your father was a very—"

"If you say _rational man,_ then I don't want to hear it," he interrupted firmly, his hands holding the leader tightly.

"Well…he was," Harry shrugged, but his calm behaviour wasn't buying off Teddy. "…and that was probably the basic issue between them. Remus was all about the _right_ thing to do…Tonks was more passionate," he ended with a small smile.

"So, you're saying he avoided her because he was a werewolf?"

"Yes," he said firmly. "But Tonks didn't give up easily."

Teddy shook his head, and stood up from the couch. He walked to the desk again and went through the pile of letters he had put there. He found one in particular and handed it to him.

"Look at the date on this one. My mother must have been about a month pregnant when she received that." Harry looked at the envelope as if he was trying to recognize the date written in black ink. He soon nodded in agreement, but his gesture lacked of security.

"He was so cold," Teddy explained. "He left her. He didn't care about us. He left," he pronounced the last word fully. He hated the idea of it, but he had been considering it for months.

Harry sighed strongly and dropped the envelope again. The fact that his godfather wouldn't open and read any of the letters was upsetting Teddy, as if he wouldn't read anything that could ruin his impression of Teddy's father.

"Ted…"

"Uncle Harry, I'm not going to drop it until you tell what the hell was going on between them." The determined boy sat down on the chair on the other side of the desk, his expression hard. But Harry's sight was far more solid than Teddy's. Harry was still, and looked fixedly at his godson. He was looking for a proper way to answer, but Teddy lost his patience.

"Uncle Harry…I hate to give you a hard time. It's not personal…it's just that—"

"—Not personal?" he asked, standing in a brief, almost invisible move and walking up to him. "You're my godson," he pointed out, with a tone he often heard him using on Albus or James –especially James- but rarely on him, almost never on him. He didn't realize that he began to sink in his chair a little. "You're Remus Lupin's son." Teddy's skin shivered at the sound of his father's name being spoken so strictly. "Not only one of my best teachers, not only one of the men I've admired the most…but one of my father's best friends," with that last phrase his voice became a thin, weak string. "But according to you…I'm not supposed to take this personal." Harry had leaned against his desk, and his arms were crossed. Although his sight had become soft, almost smiling, Teddy couldn't stop feeling slightly intimidated again.

"I…I know,I'm—" he breathed in again and this time Harry sat on the visitor's sit next to him. "I just—I mean I'm tired of having to figure everything out. How long are you going to hide things from me? You don't understand what this feels like," he said strongly. The last words came from underneath his throat, they were his deepest feelings, so he didn't measure who he told them to.

"You see Teddy…that's exactly where you're wrong," Harry took his glasses off, and pressed his palms against his eyes before continuing. "You can tell me I don't understand Ginny, for growing up with six brothers and having to lose one of them. You can say I don't understand…George, for losing his twin brother. You can even tell me I don't understand your grandmother. Because I don't know –and certainly don't want to ever know- what is like to lose a daughter. But…you can never say that I don't know what is like to grow up without two parents, not being able to build a vivid image in my head of them when they were alive…no matter how many pictures I see."

Teddy's throat dried. Alright, he screwed up…

"I'm…really sorry, I—" he looked down, before Harry shook his head, and chuckled quietly.

"It's alright."

"I just…"

"I know," he said, and pressed a hand tightly on Teddy's shoulder.

"It's just that…I would never leave my…I mean, I would never leave the person I loved. Let alone my…baby…" Now Teddy's voice was deeper, so much he surprised himself.

"I know that too," Harry smiled, and Teddy saw his eyes filled with pride. He couldn't help letting a little air of satisfaction fill his chest, because making Harry proud of him was always a good sensation. "But what you need to understand now, is that this isn't about Remus leaving…this is about him coming back to you both. "

That didn't make much sense to Teddy.

"Remus…well, he had a way of seeing his life…very different from Tonks. Now, I'm not justifying him, but nobody other than my parents and his friends knew what he went through."

"But—"

"But…" he interrupted firmly. "…that's why he deserved your mother so much. Tonks knew that, and she didn't rest until she made him understand it." Harry's smile was distant, as if he was remembering a very specific moment. But that distant smile was in a way very assuring to Teddy. "Don't judge him, not like that. If anything, he though she deserved more than him." Teddy's ears attended every one of Harry's words. The boy sighed and looked at the floor.

"If what you're worried about is him loving her…then that should be the least of your concerns."

"I—"he wrinkled his face. "I'm, sorry…" Harry smiled softly and chuckled after a thoughtful minute.

"What?"

"Nothing…you remind me of myself…that's all."

"I do?" he said, bringing up an eyebrow.

"Actually," he explained. "You're better. When I was your age I didn't have your patience when it came to my parents," this time it was Harry's turn to look away. He breathed in and a strong sigh left his lungs.

"I…I mean, he's such a stranger to me…"

"Don't be afraid of admiring your father Teddy. Don't go looking for reasons not to."

"I just want to know the truth…everything!"

"You know the truth Teddy. Everything else is…circumstantial." "Do you think that if your parents were alive they would have told you about the time he left her?"

"I suppose not…"

"I might be repeating the same mistakes with you that everybody made with me. But… you have so many things, so many people who love you. The last thing I want for you is to obsess with a past and forget of everything you have now."

Teddy smiled faintly, and nodded, thinking that it meant the end of the conversation. But to his surprise, Harry stood up and went to one of the drawers of his desk, from where he pulled out what looked like a photo album. He opened it to one of the pages and slid out a small, old picture Teddy had seen many times before.

"I might not know enough about your parents, but there are some things that I haven't told you yet…"

Harry's smile increased Teddy's attention.

--

"Teddy?" he heard a soft voice behind him. His memory returned to the present date and he startled as the sound broke the silence. He turned around in a surprisingly fast move, and as he sat on the bed, he saw Victoire's surprised eyes fixed on his.

"Victoire? What are you doing here?" he said, somewhat accusingly.

"Me? I'm following you! What are you doing here?"

"Why were you following me?" He asked, this time awfully curious.

"Well…I mean…I saw you walking into the willow and well...it's not a very common thing to see."

"Oh…Did anybody see you come in?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! I checked!"

"Good." He went back to his previous position, lying on the bed. He looked up at the ceiling again, pretending to be taking her presence for granted. But he couldn't avoid the fact that she was right there, for she soon started moving around the room. Just then he realized it had been almost two weeks since he began avoiding her. A process that was rather difficult because she had been the one who often looked for him.

"Where are we?" her soft voice sang again. He took a minute to pronounce the name of the place.

"The Shrieking Shack," he answered plainly.

"What? You're joking." Teddy simply shook his head, eyes still fixed on the ceiling. He felt her as she walked up to him, and the mattress of the bed moved gently when she sat on it. He could feel her full attention on him, although she didn't speak or maybe didn't even breathe for a minute.

There it was…that tacit but perfect way of communication he only had with her. She wouldn't corner him with pointless questions to satisfy her curiosity. She respected his silence and waited for him to be the first to speak. He savoured the quiet moment, until he felt her eyes on him again.

"This is where he spent his full moon nights," he vaguely explained, but it was more than enough.

"Oh...your father."

He nodded. "I don't think anybody in the school knows this is here. I don't think even the professors know."

"How do you know, then?"

"I got it out from Uncle Harry when we were at home last Christmas." He paused, and again felt guilty about being mad at his uncle for not telling him sooner. "I can't believe he didn't tell me about this place before."

"Well...He had his reasons Teddy...I'm sure he did."

Teddy handed the old and torn photograph he had been holding in his hand. She took it from his fingers.

"He gave me this too." The picture Teddy had seen so many times before held four young friends, who smiled and waved at the camera. "That's him," he said pointing at one of the men. He looked at Victoire while she contemplated the image of his father. After examining him with detail she looked at the man next to him.

"That's Uncle Harry's dad. But he said I needed it more than he did." Victoire took a moment before speaking again.

"They all look...happy," she said quietly.

An emptiness took over Teddy's stomach, he raised his eyes from the picture and towards Victoire's "Do you think he was?" he asked hoping she truly meant it, because that's what he would love to think. "Do you think he was happy? Having to hide himself every month? Having...to..."

"I don't know, Teddy," she said, and her sad voice made Teddy's emptiness deeper. It twirled inside him, sucking everything it found on its way. A black hole was what that sensation was like. It had been growing for the last few weeks, and everything that had to do with Victoire only made it bigger. Teddy wondered ...once a black hole grew inside a person's body, would it ever go away?

"You know... it's hard to find someone who really knew him. It's hard to find someone who can tell me something other than: 'your father was a brave man' or 'your father was a very wise person."

"Well...Teddy, it's true."

"But..." He breathed deeply. She _had_ to understand him, it couldn't be too pointless to explain. "My Grand has all these stories about my mother, about her childhood...and I can't find anything about him..." Teddy made a solid effort not to break down. Harry had been right, how could he have been so hard on the memory of his father to judge his weaknesses? "...no relatives, no pictures...and all his friends are... dead. The only things I can get from the people who knew him are...small pieces." Teddy felt his brownish hair transforming. He had a feeling it was matching the one of the man in the picture.

"Teddy...have you been coming here every night?" Victoire surprised him with that sudden question. He wasn't coming _every _night. He didn't come last Friday...but that was because he couldn't escape the concerned eyes of his friend´s, who had all been wondering where he was escaping to...every night.

Teddy looked up at her, but he couldn't come up with an evasive answer. Her eyes sparkled with the gentle rays of light that reflected from the old lamp he had fixed the first night he came.

Teddy should have expected Victoire's behaviour. But when she slid her body closer to him, forcing her head to hang above his and directing her deep blue eyes on his. Light strings of her hair brushed his face gently. He felt the black hole reaching the top of his throat. He contained himself, but if what he was looking for was to intimidate him...well, it was working.

"Then that's why Uncle Harry didn't want you to know about this place sooner. He didn't want you to obsess with it."

Obsess with it. He wasn't obsessing. What else could she expect from him? Wasn't it reasonable? Besides, he would be obsessing if he spent his entire energy in one and one thing only.

"He said something like that, I think. But I'm not obsessing…this is the only thing I have left from him..." he said on his defence. Of course he wasn't obsessing.

"But...you have things to focus on, you have your N.E.W.T.S this year... you can't spend your nights here for the next months," she said with an obvious almost bickering tone.

"You're overreacting," he pointed out. As always, Victoire was making an existential issue of his behaviour.

"You know I'm not..." she looked at him so severely he had to look away.

He wasn't obsessing...was he?

"Well...I—"

"—you have much more than an old tree left from him," she continued, and he raised his eyes again once she was bold enough to mess with his father's hiding place. "Don't look at me like that. You really do..." she smiled. "My Grand says you're just as brave as him, she says you're just as sensate, centred and well… just as stubborn," she finished. The way she compared him with his father was more than overwhelming. Listening to it through her voice made it seem real, entirely believable. "Besides…" she said hesitating slightly, and an utterly irresistible grin escaped from her lips.

"Besides, what?" he asked eager, she thought about it for a few more seconds.

"Besides... you make the _cutest_ howling sounds," she finished, a pleased smile crossed her face. Did she really have to come up with things like that? What the hell was she thinking?

He didn't control his reaction. His cheeks where scarlet red, he was sure of that, and his eyes had opened widely from the embarrassment.

"You didn't just say that," he said. He took his hand to his eyes, to instinctively cover the effect her mocking compliments had on him. But something told him that he was doing a poor job at hiding them. A pleased laugh left her throat.

"But you do!" She insisted. This time he laughed as well, for the first time that night. It was impossible to keep things serious with her. She made it too difficult.

"Nice hair," she said smiling.

"What? Why?" he raised an eyebrow.

"It's pink!" she exclaimed. Brilliant, that was the top of the top of his awkwardness. His hair was truly betraying him lately, when did it become so self-sufficient? He was sure he had mastered his abilities years ago.

Her hands reached his hair to mess it all over. The touch of her skin through his head burned him. Now he was sure she was just trying to make his embarrassment grow.

"Stop it Vic!" He laughed, and grabbed both of her hands to stop her. It was healthier to make the burning stop, especially if things were staying at that.

He shook his head fast and chose an electric blue tone for his hair, simply because she loved that colour on him.

"Don't call me Vic!" she said fighting his grip, which was pointless, he was stronger, at least he had that on his side. "How many times do I have to tell you I hate it...sounds like a little boy."

He couldn't help but laughing out loud, while he tightened his grasp on her wrists. It only took him a moment to calm down and realize that Victoire was smiling silently. They were still, eyes firm and heavy. And soon Victoire was stroking her thumb with rather delicacy against his palm. The sensation her eyes and her touch produced was...everything. No more black holes where growing in his chest and stomach.

And then he remembered…wasn't he supposed to be avoiding her now? Sure, it was difficult, especially because she made it awfully hard for him, but hey, a man should have a little self strength now and then, shouldn't he?

He cleared his throat piercingly, and looked away. He freed her hands with delicacy, stood up and left his bed. When he turned to look at her from the distance he found Victoire looking deeply into the mattress, to the place his head had been, like trying to solve a very complicated arithmancy problem.

It was disconcerting to see her so thrown off, as if she couldn't understand the situation, or the moment that had just flashed. Teddy could have explained it with detailed perfection, but he wasn't willing to anymore.

"Come on, it's late, let's get out of here," he said, looking away.

"Late? Oh no! I was supposed to meet Warren!" There it was again, the mention of the boyfriend at the end of the day. She jumped off the bed and walked quickly to the door, where he was already standing. He looked down at her feet and smiled slightly. He wasn't surprised at the sight of her bare toes.

"Where did you leave your shoes this time?"

"Oh! Right! Um...I don't remember..." Classic of her.

"Come on..." he said gesturing with his head. "I'll help you look."

"Alright...but let's make it fast, I was supposed to study with him."

"Yeah...you don't want to be late for _that_," he said laughing, emphasising his sarcasm. He stepped aside from the door to let her cross first. She rolled her eyes and walked by him, towards the hallway and out of the Shrieking Shack.

--

_February 4th, 2016_

"I'm done with her..." murmured Teddy, the next day on the breakfast table.

"Oh my—will you stop saying that!" Claire waved her piece of toast high in the air. "It's like the tenth time today!"

"Yeah, cut it out. You're scaring us and all," agreed Bob.

"Besides...you only believe it yourself," she said sternly.

"Well I really mean—" Teddy stopped defending himself at the sight of Jack. His eyes were on his plate of cereal, but his mouth was twisting into a mocking smirk, and he was sure he heard him laughing quietly.

"What?" Teddy asked, clinching his eyes.

"Nothing mate, you're hilarious. That's all."

"I'm hilarious?"

"Definitely. Remind me to thank Victoire someday."

"For what?" he asked between his teeth.

"For giving me a few good laughs," he explained with simplicity, before taking a spoon full to his mouth.

Teddy pressed his lips together, but before he could come up with a retort he heard the name _Victoire_ from his back. He knew the voice of the fifth year girl who had pronounced it. It was a loud, sharp, and very unpleasant voice, a voice he had managed to block out of his hearing system every day at breakfast and whenever she was at the common room. But after hearing the name he turned to Alison Wildfield to listen carefully at what was bound to be another one of her gossips.

"Are you sure?" asked Regina Tilton, leaning forward.

"Of course I'm sure," replied Alison, filled with an unusual amount of pleasure. "She broke up with him last night!" Teddy's ears sharpened, he could feel his back straightening up.

"And do you know why she broke up with him?"

Alison bit her lip, and gave the conversation a moment of silence that raised the suspension. Teddy didn't realize that his eyes had shamelessly settled on the narrator.

"That's the best part. She was cheating on him!" she said, with an irritating cynical tone. "How do you like that? Apparently she's been seeing this new guy for the last weeks, and nobody knows who he is."

"Who told you that?"

"Ana Myers. You know her, Ravenclaw, fourth year, horrible hair. She heard the entire thing," spoke Alison, not even trying to keep her voice low. If anything, she was trying to get the entire table to hear her story. "It doesn't surprise me at all. She seems very unstable. But to cheat on Warren! That's just—"

"Alright, stop!" snapped Teddy angrily. Both Alison and Regina turned to the boy, the table was silent. "Don't you think it's a bit early for that amount of rubbish? I know Victoire. She doesn't cheat," he said impulsively. He didn't even want to see his friends' face. He was sure Claire was giving him an estranged eye, Bob was probably shocked and he could sense Jack enjoying the scene. Well, at least someone was having fun with this chaotic situation.

"Fine..." Alison's lips spoke slowly, her face gave Regina a look that suggested disorientation. "Whatever you say," she finished, with a tone that seemed she was speaking the same way she would to a mentally ill person.

Teddy turned his back on Alison, and confirmed what he suspected about his friends. The three of them stared intently, but none of them said a word. That was good.

Breakfast went on with the same silence for the next minutes, and Teddy didn't want to encourage the sensation that was growing inside his stomach after hearing the news. He looked at Ravenclaw's table and his eyes searched for Victoire for a couple of seconds. He finally found Evelyn sitting by herself, drowning some boy with what seemed like a long monologue.

So what? He was supposed to deal with _another_ guy now? There was a third guy? She wasn't content with having her Quidditch player or having her friend drooling all over her. No. She had a third guy now. Great! Talk about competition.

"She broke up with the boyfriend," said the low but powerful voice of Claire. He turned to her and caught her smile but his face was inexpressive.

"So?"

"Well, isn't this what you have been waiting for?" she asked, as she brushed a buttered knife against the bread.

"I don't know anymore...Besides, you heard, there's _another_ bloke."

"Which might as well be you!" she pointed out. Of course Teddy thought of this, but for a brief moment only, he wasn't sure he should bring his hopes up..._again._

"Or he might just be a _third _guy," he argued.

"Or it might be _you_..." she retorted, closing her eyes tightly for a second, probably losing her patience. Bob moved a few inches away from her.

"Either way, Claire, I said I was done, didn't I?"

"Mate, you're behaving like a woman," added Jack, half laughing again, now filling his glass with juice. "But keep it up please, in a few minutes you'll start weeping."

Teddy exhaled strongly. He looked at the table again, and his stomach shrunk an inch when he saw Victoire's empty spot. He wasn't the only one looking in that direction. He soon realized that Alison's news had spread rather quickly and there was more than one student trying to find her with their eyes, probably to feed their pathetic curiosity.

Teddy's stomach shrunk another inch, whatever happened the night before between her and the ex-boyfriend –his lips played a small smile at the thought of him being nothing but an _ex _in her life- had been bad enough for her to disappear during breakfast.

"Ted, listen, this is getting ridiculous," interfered Bob. "Do you know what you should do?"

"Yes," he said plainly, his voice dry and his eyes still fixed on the place Victoire was supposed to be sitting. "I know what to do," he assured him. He had made a new determination.

He knew it was completely different from the decision he had hopelessly been trying to follow, and he knew he shouldn't to do anything about this right now...

But he couldn't help it, or wasn't going to help.

Damn, she was so...

Worth it.

--

_A/N: Long chapter! I didn't keep it up because it was honestly becoming too long. Things are falling into place__ now, but please tell me what you think! _

_I love the song I used for this chapter, so much that I'm posting the lyrics here, because every word explains pretty well what Teddy feels._

_Artist: Jason Mraz _

_-- _

_Hello, tell me you know _

_Yeah, you figured me out _

_Something gave it away _

_And it would be such a beautiful moment _

_To see the look on your face _

_To know that I know that you know now _

_And baby that's a case of my wishful thinking _

_You know nothing _

_Cause you and I _

_Why, we go carrying on for hours on end _

_We get along much better _

_Than you and your boyfriend _

_-_

_Well all I really wanna do is love you _

_A kind much closer than friends use _

_But I still can't say it after all we've been through _

_And all I really want from you is to feel me _

_As the feeling inside keeps building _

_And I will find a way to you if it kills me _

_If it kills me _

_-_

_Well how long, can I go on like this, _

_Wishing to kiss you, _

_Before I rightly explode? _

_This double life I lead isn't healthy for me _

_In fact it makes me nervous _

_If I get caught I could be risking it all _

_Baby there's a lot that I miss _

_In case I'm wrong_

_- _

_If I should be so bold _

_I'd ask you to hold my heart in your hand _

_Tell you from the start how I've longed to be your man _

_But I never said a word _

_I guess I'm gonna miss my chance again _


	15. Look at her Face

**Look at her Face**

--

_February 4th, 2016...later that day_

Teddy didn't make the slightest effort on focusing during his morning classes. Gazing at the window and waiting to get out of the classrooms seemed more important at the moment.

When he arrived at the Great Hall for lunch and found that she wasn't there he realized that whatever happened the previous night wasn't at all good...

At least for her.

"Have you seen Victoire?" Evelyn asked him when they ran into each other, and just then he realized that she had escaped from her best friend.

"No, actually…I mean—no. Wasn't she with you?" he asked, frowning.

"No! I lost her durings Charms."

"Is she alright?"

"I don't know. She was very upset last night. But you know…she—"

"—Yes. I heard."

"She won't talk or anything," said Evelyn, looking down in disappointment.

"Hey, I'm sure she'll be alright," replied Teddy with a small smile. "Let me know if you find her."

Teddy took advantage of the free hour he had between Potions and Charms to look for the missing girl. He had a feeling she was be hiding behind some tree around the grounds, and after interrupting a happy couple that looked rather cosy, he found a pair of shoes left carelessly on the grass. He picked them up and smiled softly. After walking for a few feet, he saw the person he had been looking for; her eyes closed and her head and back resting against a tree on the shore of the lake.

He stood in front of her patiently for a seconds. He smiled widely and wondered if she might be sleeping. Her breathing was gentle, her slim lips didn't move. He felt a sudden urge to hold her face in one hand, kiss her forehead, her cheekbone, her chin. He walked closer to the girl and sat carefully on the grass next to her.

"Hey," he whispered, and smiled when Victoire startled, opening her eyes in an abrupt move. "You don't want to lose these again," he said, putting the shoes down next to her.

Victoire's weak smile gave Teddy enough reasons to think that she wasn't handling things very well.

"You alright?" he asked.

"I'm alright," she shrugged with little enthusiasm. It was definite, she wasn't well at all.

"Right," he looked at the lake. He wondered how much he should intrude in her life at the moment, and he decided to give it a shot. "I heard you and Warren broke it off," he said softly, biting his lower lip. He sensed the effect the phrase caused her when her breathing stopped for a moment.

"What?" She turned to see him. "Already? That was only yesterday."

And exactly what was she expecting?

"Are you kidding me? The news is all over the place. Alison wildfield was reciting it during breakfast."

"But she wasn't even there!" she said mortified. "This is embarrassing." Victoire took her hand to her face, and covered the anxiety of her eyes. Teddy shook his head, amused by the girl's reaction.

"Hey, it happens," he said, giving his best effort at sounding comprehensible. He had to be as careful as possible, or he could end up being the supportive friend, the one girls talk to during their time of need, but will never see him as something else. "So, I hear there's another bloke," he spitted out. His voice carried a rehearsed nature that he didn't buy.

He expected her to react surprised at his impertinent question. But he didn't expect her eyes to widen that much, or her lips to hesitate, or her skin to turn pale. She took a moment to gather herself.

"What? Alison said that?" she looked at the lake, and pressed her lips tightly together before opening them. "What else did she say?"

Now he had entered unwelcomed territory. Repeating another girl's gossip wasn't on his agenda.

"Oh, nothing..." he lied poorly.

"Teddy, just say it," she demanded.

"She didn't say anything el—"

"Teddy!"

"Alright! She said something about you cheating on your boyfriend with some other bloke," he twisted his gesture with the last bit. She wasn't going to like that.

"WHAT? That's not true!" she yelled with indignation.

"I know, that's what I told her. I said it was rubbish, that it didn't sound like you at all."

At that moment Victoire turned to stare into his glare intently for the first time. The hard expression of her face vanished and a smile took place instead.

"Thanks," she said.

"Hey, somebody had to shut her mouth. She ruins people's breakfast when she gossips like that so early."

"I think I need a place to hide myself in..." she said wrinkling her face.

From Teddy's perspective things weren't _that_ bad.

"You're overreacting, in a few days Alison will forget all about you and will torture someone else. Although, if you ever need a place to hide...you could always use the Shrieking Shack," he added brightly.

Victoire laughed out loud and bit her lower lip after hearing his nonsense. "Alright, I'll keep that in mind." The smile of her lips widened and Teddy was pleased for being the person who could cheer her up, just like she managed to change his mood the previous night drastically.

"So..." he retook his subject of interest. "I gather from your reaction, that you do fancy another bloke."

Victoire's back straightened, but whatever it was that was crossing her mind she managed to hide it quickly.

"Since when do you care about who I like?" she said with her melodic tone of voice, sharply avoiding a simple answer.

Fair enough, he had never really cared that much before.

"Um... no...just asking. I thought I could since I'm letting you use my tree and all."

"Your tree? When did the Whomping Willow become your tree?"

"Um... inheritance!" he answered sharply. Victoire chuckled again. So, it was great making her laugh, but the way she was avoiding the conversation was too tangible to ignore.

"Anyway..." he said, giving up momentarily from getting something productive out of the conversation. "I never thanked you properly..."

"Thanked me? For what?"

"For last night...you were right. I might have been obsessing...a bit."

"Feeling better?" she asked.

"Hey...I'll be fine," he shrugged, and looked down when he concluded that Victoire was certainly not ready for the things he wanted to tell her at the moment. "I have to go. You seem to have...a lot on your mind." He stood up, before he could change his mind and make a mess of the entire thing.

"Right..." she whispered.

"See you around Vic," he said as he turned and walked away from her.

"Don't call me Vic!" she retorted, with a highly annoyed tone in her voice. Teddy laughed quietly to himself as he left her behind.

"Don't count on it!" he yelled through a smirk, imagining that her face must have turned red by now.

--

_February 12th__,2016_

Teddy couldn't believe that exactly a week had gone by and he hadn't materialized his firm determination. Translation: he hadn't done _anything_.

He knew he couldn't attempt anything when Evelyn was around. She was too nosy. But...who was he kidding? He had no excuse other than the fact that he was scared to death.

For Teddy, he was in the same place he had been four months ago. He was single, so was she and they were wasting their time by not being together.

"How long are you going to let her mourn?" Claire's voice was becoming more piercing with everyday. The pressure she was putting on him was worse than the one the professors put on the N.E..

Their walk between classes was getting longer by the second.

"I haven't found the right time," he answered distracted, looking at every girl just to see if he could spot Victoire's face in one of them. But he was almost convinced she had potions, and that was on the other side of the castle.

"So...you'll just wait for another guy to sweep her off again?"

He stopped cold. That was enough.

"_What_ other guy?" he asked through his suddenly mortified teeth, just last week she had said that Teddy was the other guy. Claire shrugged.

"I'm just saying...if some other guy appears it's only going to be your fault."

Teddy inhaled patiently. "I think I listen to you way too much."

"I'd say you don't listen to me enough," she retorted.

"You know what? I'll see you at transfiguration." He turned , took the first hallway he could find and walked away as fast as possible.

Claire's impatient comments had been torturing him for days. Being able to breath for a moment would do him good. He couldn't stand her accusations any longer. Of course he wasn't going to wait until another guy appeared. He wasn't an idiot...

Was he?

He stopped in a corner and looked at a blank space. How much longer was he going to postpone it? He realized how tense he was when he saw that his fists were closed, and that the back of his neck was aching.

A body collided against him, and it wasn't hard to tell by the smell of chamomile that Victoire's hair was all over his face.

"Teddy!" she said, her breathing short and fast, her eyes wide. She looked like she had been running for miles.

This was it. She was there, he was there. Did he need things to get clearer than this?

Nothing could be more opportune. He could feel the words climbing up his throat, waiting to be released. He swallowed hard and he managed to build a small smile.

"Hey...Vic...Can we talk for a sec—"

"—will you drop the nickname already?" She said to his surprise. How long was she going to keep that request going? Talk about obsessing...

"I told you...It's not going to happen," he shrugged innocently.

"Well, it should because...I hate it! I never realized how much I hate it before," she said sternly, biting her lips with unusual strength. The dramatic tone of her voice and the haste of her eyes made him laugh, as it always did. The muscles behind his neck relaxed considerably.

"Don't laugh! I'm serious!" she said, her voice loud and upset. Teddy stopped laughing slowly, not because he didn't find her reaction amusing but because he had something serious to talk about. But a frustrated sigh escaped from the depths of her chest. "I'm such an idiot," she concluded. He frowned in confusion and shook his head.

"Vic..." he answered, building up a serious tone. "You're not an idiot."

"Yes I am!" She gestured with her hands, and began to pace rapidly around him, her eyes fixed on the floor...the terrible new habit of avoiding his sight was there again. "Because...I hadn't realized—I—I never—how could I have missed it when it was so obvious?" She said loudly. Teddy's frown was even deeper. She was taking the nickname argument a little too far.

"What? Victoire...are we both talking about the same things?" He asked severely confused, because she wasn't making any sense at all.

"How could I have not noticed before...?"

He raised an eyebrow and found a way to answer coolly. "Well...I've called you that since we were kids!" he explained simply.

"Exactly!" Her eyes stopped on his, wide, deep, reflecting every ray of light that was surrounding her. Her lower lip trembled, what the hell was going through that head of hers?

"You're... not making any sense..." he whispered softly. He sensed he had been left behind at some point in the conversation. Victoire was fighting over something that made sense in her world, and her world only.

"Well...it—I—" He could feel her hesitation, in the way her eyes scanned his face, the way she swallowed strongly, the way her lips moved without making any sound at all, the way her breathing was remarkably faster.

Whatever it was that she needed to say...he wanted to hear it.

"—it sounds like a little boy's name!" she proceeded. His eyes popped out, she really was taking it far. But Victoire never did things half way, she would always take it to the other side.

"That's rubbish!" he answered, beginning to feel annoyed by her attitude.

"It does! And I'm not a little boy. I'm not the kid you use to compete with... I'm not the little kid you used to push so I'd stop teasing you. I'm far from being that! I'm—"

"—I know that!" he retorted loudly. It took him a second to realize that he was yelling. Victoire calmed down at the tone of his voice.

Of course he knew that. He knew it perfectly well, and he had been trying to show her for the last months. It was his turn to feel exhilarated; he was the one breathing fast now.

"You think I don't know that?" he asked walking a few steps forward, his eyes firm on hers.

"Do you, Teddy? She questioned, and swallowed hard. Teddy breathed deeply, he noticed his teeth clenching, his muscles tightening again, he realized he was inconveniently mad. He decided that before doing or saying something stupid, he might as well walk backwards, away from her.

"I have to go...I have..." he murmured as he retrieved. But her rage was stronger, because she nodded firmly, turned and left before him.

_What the hell just happened there?_

Teddy threw his bag with unnecessary strength on his desk. Few people had arrived early at the classroom, which was both good and bad. Good, because he didn't have to camouflage his anger much; Bad, because he wasn't making the slightest effort at hiding it.

Claire's neck turned quickly towards him. He took a seat by her, although he would have preferred to sit by Bob or Jack, especially Jack, because he wouldn't give him a hard time.

"Where are the others?" he asked, in a poor attempt to drive her attention away from his crazy mood.

"Well...Bob was looking for you." Claire frowned and stared at him intently. Teddy didn't look back at her, his eyes were piercing the professor's empty desk, and then he broke into an incomprehensible moan.

"Argghh..." he exhaled strongly, and took one hand to hold the back of his neck, as if his head was about to break and fall.

"You alright?" she whispered.

No.

But he didn't give her a direct answer.

"She's impossible," he hissed, and once he said that bit he couldn't get himself to stop. "She's mad! She's just...positively mad!"

"What happened?" Claire whispered. Teddy inhaled and his eyes got lost on the top of his desk.

"She's...she." He shook his head. "She was ridiculously angry because of some nickname I use on her." Claire raised an eyebrow in confusion. "She was out of control, and to think that I—I can't believe it's so hard for her to see. I mean I –"

"Are you sure that's why she was so upset?"

"How should I know? She wasn't making any sense. She was...completely—I didn't get it. I don't even know what got into her."

He didn't notice how close Claire was until he could feel her breathing.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Teddy shook his head.

"She looked unbelievably mad," he stopped to think. "And then she began to blabber something about us when we were kids and that she wasn't a little kid anymore. How stupid is that? Like I could treat her as such...If anyone should put their perspective in order that's Victo—"

Teddy didn't realize when he stopped talking. The heavy fog of rage cleared up, and for one second things were clear and steady...

Well...at least they were clear.

"Unless..." he said softly.

"Unless," said Claire patiently, gesturing with her hands.

"She..." Teddy looked at Claire and his friend's face looked a hundred percent annoyed. "I'll be right back," he stated as he moved out of the classroom in a hurry.

Teddy reviewed the events of the last hour inside his head, as fast as possible, her words, her looks, her evasions, her hesitation. He soon found he was looking back into the last days, weeks and the last month. He was finding small things, discovering ways of encouragement.

He arrived at the potions' classroom rather fast, and when he found she wasn't there he stood a few feet away from the door, leaning back on the wall, resting his head against the stone, trying to find patience somewhere in his mind.

It took her a couple of minutes to arrive but he saw her from the distance. Her face went from plain to ice cold the second she spotted him.

"Don't you have a class to go to or something?" she asked when she was standing in front of him. Unlike him, she was still infuriated, boiling in anger.

He restrained a smile, and did a good job at hiding it. She was really intense when it came to handling her feelings. She wasn't capable of playing it cool.

"Sure...but let's talk first," he requested softly.

"I think we've done enough talking for today."

She had a knack for finding the perfect words, especially when she wasn't trying...

"You might be right..." he whispered.

"What?" asked Victoire, thrown off, she wrinkled her slim lips.

"Listen...I've been trying to figure you out for the last days, but..." he pressed his lips together, and he noticed she was doing the same. "I need to see something..."

"What? Teddy, are you talking in code?" She asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Listen, this might be weird...or not... I don't know," he shrugged. "The thing is...I've been wanting to—"

"—Teddy! I've got Potions now!"

"I need to see something..."

Victoire's cheeks were turning scarlet. He could have stared at that scene for the rest of the day, if it weren't because he was desperate to do something better than that.

"Whatever it is that you want, it can wait until after class, okay?

"No," he refused, shaking his head.

"Well, what is it? Make it quick."

When Teddy locked Victoire's face with his hands, he didn't give her enough time to pull back. She made a cheap effort at putting resistance. But again, his strength worked on his favour. His mouth opened briefly and embraced her upper lip in a swift move, just then her own lips unlocked.

What happened after that was a partial blackout.

He felt her hands tightening over his, pressing his palms strongly against the silky skin of her face.

Few things were clear at that moment, and the place or time weren't some of them. There were more important things: like the skin, lips, smell and breath that made him go blind and deaf at the same time. Being able to see and listen wasn't useful at the moment. Being in the dark was better, because his entire energy had to be poured into feeling more than anything else.

And at some point of the partial blackout, when a short distance was built between the two bodies, he found that his hands had travelled to her waist, and her hands had settled at the back of his neck.

When the blackout was over and he was breathing, seeing and hearing again, he realized there was a lot of whispering and idiotic giggling at the back of his ears.

"I can't believe I just did that," was the only thing he was capable of saying. Her amazed but pleased face didn't let him concentrate on expressing himself properly. A soft laugh came from her throat.

"Your hair," she whispered, her eyes could hardly focus on anything, but she was trying to see the top of his head.

"What?" he asked, thrown off.

"It's pink..." she replied, caressing it again with one hand.

Teddy's face burned, he really hoped he wasn't blushing, although nothing could be more embarrassing than having his hair turn pink in the middle of the hallway.

"Oh, great...again?" he said through his dried throat. He covered it with both hands. He didn't want to look around to discover just how exposed he was to other people's eyes. He shook his head lightly and chose the bright shade of green he had been wearing that day.

"I'm going to have to start wearing hats..." he murmured, leaning his face close to hers.

--

_A/N: If you want to read Victoire's perspective of this, turn to chapter 8 of my fic: "Of Witches and Kisses."__Some of you already did that, so sorry for spoiling it for you but that oneshot inspired me to write a long fic._

_This isn't over, in case you're wondering!__But please Review!!_

_Artist: The Coral Sea_

_Lyrics:_

_Look at her face__  
__She's crying__  
__See her disgrace__  
__It's blinding__  
__I hope you figure it out.___

_Look at her face__  
__She's blinded__  
__By her mistakes__  
__It's lying__  
__I hope you figure it out.___

_I wanted you bad__  
__Regretful and true__  
__You looked back in front of me__  
__Completely in view___

_This kid's got your back__  
__The sunlight is true__  
__Look back in front of me__  
__Completely anew__  
__I want you to notice___

_Feeling your styles the causes your blankets that saved me__  
__Over and over and over and over you played me__  
__Afraid of rejection the places we went that defaced me__  
__Over and over and over and over you saved me___

_Look at her face__  
__She's crying__  
__See her mistakes__  
__They're blinding__  
__I hope you figure it out._


	16. Mad About You

**Mad About you**

_February 17, 2016_

Victoire fixed her robes fast, picked her wand from the bed and ran towards the door, but before walking out of the room she realized she was missing something. Her hand went straight to her chest.

"My badge," she whispered. "Have you seen it?" she asked turning to Evelyn, who was sitting on her bed gracefully with her legs crossed, brushing her black hair slowly. She raised her eyes at Victorie and shook her head once, before lowering her sight again. Victoire bit her upper lip for a moment. "Still mad at me?"

Evelyn shrugged uninterested and covered her sight with a black curtain of hair. Victoire rolled her eyes impatiently.

"Evelyn..." she whispered walking closer towards her friend. "Cut it out! It's been days!" The dead response of the girl made Victoire enter despair. She took the brush from Evelyn's hand and removed the hair that hung in front of her face. Evelyn raised her eyes and set her hard sight on Victoire's.

"You could have told me!" scolded Evelyn, something she had been doing for the last few days. Victoire rolled her eyes once more. "_I_ tell you everything!"

"I already explained that. How am I supposed to tell you something I didn't know myself?" answered Victoire.

"Still. You shut me out for all those days..." she said bitterly. Victoire sighed.

"Fine. I'll give you that. I'm sorry," she responded softly.

"You shut people out when you're upset. You can't just abandon me every time something's wrong with you."

"Evelyn, come on..." she insisted, but Evelyn crossed her hands, which reminded Victoire of her sister's behaviour when she refused to settle for something. "Fine...I'm sorry for shutting you out..." she replied exhausted, sitting on the foot of the bed. Those last days had been too long for her liking.

Victoire already had to put up with her classmates' awkward behaviour around her, Warren's cold eyes every time he looked at her and Alison Wildfield's sarcastic comments every time they ran into each other. But putting up with her best friend's silent treatment was over the top. She did know she deserved it in some level. Because she had escaped her friend's worried interrogations after the night she broke up with Warren. She chose to be alone, especially because that same night she discovered her true feelings towards someone she had been taking for granted. She made Evelyn pay for her week of confused epiphanies, and now she was simply paying it back.

"If I tell you everything from the beginning, will you stop being so mad at me?"

Evelyn raised an eyebrow.

"With details?" she asked twisting her lips into a smirk. Victoire sighed in frustration, yet secretly relieved that Evelyn seemed to be in better terms with her.

"I guess...yes."

"Fine. I forgive you," she expressed with a wide smile. Victoire shook her head, disapproving what she qualified as immaturity, but she chose to give her friend a smile back.

"Seen my badge?" she asked, remembering she had duties to attend.

"Can I have my brush back first?" retorted Evelyn, extending her arm with her hand wide open. "It's in your nightstand..." she said once Victoire handed her the hairbrush.

Victoire jumped off the bed and opened the drawer of her nightstand, which fortunately kept her badge intact. She was sure she didn't put it there, but she had no idea where she left it the last time she took it off. She knew well that even when Evelyn had been completely mad at her for shutting her out of her life for an entire week, she still picked her things around the room and placed them where they belonged.

When she walked out, quite relieved, she crossed the common room faster than usual. Sure, she deserved her best friend's reproaches, for avoiding her for more than a week. Of course, she wasn't expecting her to understand that she needed to think, and thinking was something she preferred to do on her own, especially because her head had been a mess during that strange week.

But to have to deal with the rest of her classmates' whispering all about was not acceptable. She knew better than that. Warren wouldn't even look at her, and _that_ she could understand as well, even if he was a bit of an idiot for not believing her when she said she hadn't been cheating on him the entire time. But to have to do rounds on her own because her prefect partner, Michael Scott, who only happened to be one of Warren's closest friends refused to talk to her...that was just too childish.

Victoire walked to the end of the hallway, leaving the stairways of her common room behind, she took a left turn in the end, but didn't get anywhere. She let an impulsive gasp out when she felt she was being pulled back strongly, towards the shadowed corner.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered to the tall man who was locking her against the wall, his hands settled perfectly on her waist. His hair was night black, long enough to cover his ears, and very uneven.

Did he know by now the effect that particular look had on her? If he did, then he wore it on purpose. She pushed away carefully the locks that covered his light brown eyes. That long, uneven hair reminded her of the rock band poster Dominique hung on her room last summer. She smiled in spite of the question she just asked and Teddy didn't bother to answer. Instead he chose to lean forward to brush his lips against hers. Victoire breathed deeply to control the shiver that went up her spine.

"You know, a teacher could see us easily," she said, keeping a short distance between their lips.

"Nobody is coming, I checked," he said quietly, before kissing her again. Her favourite part of the way Teddy wore his hair that day was how easily she could grab his long locks to play with them between her fingers.

"And even if they do. You'll get out of it," she added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, raising his eyebrow, and separating his face from hers.

"Well, you'll just smile and get out of it. I, on the other hand, would get in trouble immediately."

Teddy smiled widely. "You do have a bad reputation. Still, it didn't stop you from being a Prefect."

"True..." said Victoire shrugging in agreement, with a small, yet self-centred smile on her lips. "That's the beauty of perusing something. You might just get it..."

Teddy shook his head and kissed her shortly again. "You know...I wonder why I never got the Head boy badge myself," he asked, frowning in concern. Victoire laughed.

"That's because you were a lousy prefect," she explained to his lips. "Most nights you forgot to do your rounds."

"Oh...right," he shrugged uninterested, before leaning down to kiss her once again. Victorie wrapped her hands around the back of his neck, but a few seconds later that same grip allowed her to push him back gently.

"What now?" he whispered patiently, raising his eyebrows.

"We agreed we would be discreet for a while," she reminded him.

"Exactly how discreet do we have to be?" he asked with an over acted tone of innocence. Victoire exhaled impatiently.

"Very. Dominique doesn't know anything yet."

"That's alright then. If she's anything like you, then I can kiss you in front of her and she won't notice," he mocked, a smirk managing to escape from his mouth. "Ouch!" Victoire had closed her fingers into a tight fist and punched Teddy's chest harder than he expected. He complained but laughed at the hard look on her face.

"How much longer are you going to tease me with that?" she asked harshly.

"As long as it's hilarious."

"Well. It isn't," she said. "And just give me some time to tell Dom."

"Any idea of when you're doing that?" he asked placing his mouth on the corner of her lips.

"Tons! Try explaining a twelve year old that you're dating her cousin." Teddy's lips parted from her skin. He retrieved his head a few inches to look at her properly.

"This is going to be a problem... isn't it? And not just with Dominique," he asked with a soft but serious tone in his voice.

"I...I don't know. But I'm sure that I don't want my parents hearing about it through Dominique or anybody else. They don't even know I broke up with Warren. Maman will probably grieve over him, although dad won't mind much," she said, remembering how little impressed her father had been with her ex-boyfriend when she took him to her house for dinner during the Holidays. Her father might have a gentle temper, but the killing Weasley look was something he handled quite well, and that night he dedicated it to Warren. No words were needed to know that Bill wasn't very happy with Victoire's last male choice.

"I knew I could count on Bill," said Teddy with a mocking smile.

"Besides...nobody seems to be taking this well, why should my sister be any different?"

"You care too much about what others think."

"I do not!"

"Fine, forget it," he said raising his hands. "I'll let you go for tonight, but first..."

He placed his hands on each side of her face, and she cut their remaining distance to kiss him, falling in the silence that soon embraced them.

A drowned gasp came from behind, and when Victoire pushed Teddy apart she saw her Little sister's wide eyes freezing in panic.

"What are you..._doing_?" she asked horrified, holding her broom tightly with her small hand. Teddy released Victoire in a move so fast she didn't even notice. She looked into her sister's eyes and opened her mouth wishing to improvise a short, clear way of explaining why she was snogging Teddy in the middle of the hallway.

But before she could come up with something worthy enough, her sister, who seemed to be holding her breath, took a few steps backwards.

"Dom," whispered Teddy, but as the sound of his voice filled the space between the three of them, Dominique turned and ran out of their sight.

"Dominique!" yelled Victoire, who was forced to run after the girl.

Victoire knew perfectly well where she was heading, and she ran as fast as she could to catch up. But the girl outran her, and a few minutes later she was panting in front of a rather old painting of an ungracefully looking fat woman. Teddy had arrived at the same time as Victoire, panting to catch his breath.

"When did she become so fast?" he asked impressed.

"She is _so_ dramatic..." hissed Victoire. "So...you were going to kiss me in front of her and she _wasn't_ going to notice, huh?" she said with a stern voice. Teddy wrinkled his lips im embarrasment.

Victoire looked at the overconfident face of the woman inside the painting. She walked a few steps forward, still attempting to regain her breath.

"How are you tonight, Ted dear?" asked the fat lady, with an overwhelmed grin.

"I'm alright, thanks," he said back with a complacent smile. It didn't surprise Victoire at all that he was friends even with other houses' paintings. He was capable of winning almost anybody.

"May I help you?" said the woman to Victoire, with an almost singing tone.

"Yes. My little sister is in there and I really need to talk to her." The woman looked at Victoire from head to toes, and raised her chin up.

"Password?" she asked, not very friendly now.

"I don't have it. But she's my sister and—"

"—No password, no entrance," the fat lady cut her. Victoire breathed deeply and closed her eyes for a moment. She heard the deep voice of Teddy murmuring "_patience"_ to her ear. She nodded.

"This is really important," she said to the painting with a false sweet tone.

"I'm sorry, I need the password."

"Well, maybe if you give me a hint I'll figure it out," said Victoire, raising an elbow. The woman's fat cheeks turned pink.

"How dare you?" she asked, her face swelling like a red balloon. "You Ravenclaws! Always thinking you can outsmart everybody else!"

"I just—"

"—You better go back to your common room," she scolded.

"Nice going..." whispered Teddy behind her. Victoire turned to face him, she could feel the temperature of her cheeks rising. She turned back again when she spotted a small kid wearing a red and yellow scarf and walking up the stairs fast and towards the painting of the unpleasant lady.

"Password, dear?" sung the fat woman.

" Comp—" the boy stopped to think. "Com—no wait, I know it," he took a hand to his head and both, Victoire and the fat lady rolled their eyes at the same time. "Right! _Compos Sui_"

The fat lady nodded elegantly. "Go right in." Victoire walked up to the portrait again.

"Alright..." she said crossing her arms. "Compos Sui."

The fat lady looked up and down at Victoire once again, like inspecting her robes. "Sorry. Only Gryffindors may enter."

"But I just gave you the password!" she replied exasperatedly. She threw her arms to her side again.

"Vic, let it go. She's not letting you in..." suggested Teddy softly, placing his hand on her waist.

"She can't do that!"

"Of course I can!" said the fat lady proudly.

A tall girl, who seemed between fourth and sixth year, walked up to the painting. Victoire didn't hesitate in stopping her before she gave out the password. She asked the girl, as a matter of urgency, to find her little sister. She described Dominique as accurately as possible: short blond hair, big blue eyes, very thin, and probably still holding on to her broom.

"Our new seeker?" asked the girl, and Victoire nodded. "I'll see what I can do," she answered before saying the password and walking right in. Victoire bit her lower lip.

"Relax," whispered Teddy to her ear. "Dominique's over reacting."

"Yes, well, if she opens her little mouth and tells Molly or Lucy, the entire family is going to owl us before we can go back for Easter week.

"Now _you're_ overreacting."

The portrait opened again and Victoire saw the petit image of her sister walking out carefully, her broom glued to her small hand. Dominique looked directly into Teddy's eyes. Victoire turned her head to Teddy as well.

"Do you mind if..."

"No, that's alright," he shrugged and walked a couple of steps backwards. Before turning around he winked at Dominique, who had been staring at him in the distance. Her lips wrinkled, blending into a smile and a grimace. She adored Teddy just too much to resist his attentions towards her. As he walked away, Victoire breathed in and took short but firm steps towards her younger sister. Dominique frowned deeply. Apparently, everybody was going to take it against_her_, and her only. Teddy was apparently released of accusations.

"Dom, please calm down," she said softly, as she saw her sister's chest rising and her face turning stern.

"But it's Teddy!" she yelled, and Victoire shut her eyes softly again.

"Don't scream," she begged.

"But you were snogging Teddy! Why?"

"Because—"

"—That's so wrong! It's...weird," she said loudly, her shrieking voice filled with disgust.

"Stop screaming!" she ordered firmly. Dominique pressed her lips together tightly. "And believe me, it's anything _but_ weird," she let slip. The girl wrinkled her face.

"Victoire!"

"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"He's our –"

"—Don't! Don't say it!" she pleaded, covering Dominique's small lips with two of her fingers. But that didn't stop the girl from talking.

"But he is! He's our cousin!"

Victorie sighed and kneeled down, that way her eyes were lower than Dominique's. She grabbed each of her sister's small arms tightly. She partly hated what she was going to say next.

"Dom, you do know that technically...just technically...Teddy isn't our cousin." Dominique's eyes frowned deeply again. Something about the way her eyebrows shaped into two pronounced arches reminded her of her father's face when he was upset or concerned. She blinked, and hoped for Bill's eyes to look more pleasant when she told him about her and Teddy.

It was going to be harder to explain than what she had anticipated.

"He is in our family, of course. It's just not—I mean, everybody loves him as such, he's just not—"

"But…"

"Dominique, what's happening between Teddy and I doesn't change a thing between you two."

"So, _you_ don't love him like a cousin anymore."

"No, not really," she shook her head softly.

"You can just do that?" asked Dominique surprised. Victoire chuckled softly.

"Well, it's complicated. I mean, Teddy and I have always been very close and now...well, let's say we're a bit closer, in a different way," she explained, before biting her lip as she saw Dominique's face relaxing and her frown disappearing.

"So what do you love him as?"

Victoire's eyes widened. She hadn't asked herself that question, and she had absolutely nothing prepared to answer.

"Um..."

"Do you love _love_ him?

"Well...we just—"

"—Are you going to marry him? Because if you two get married then he will be my brother in law, and he can't be my cousin _and_ my brother in law. That doesn't make any sense. Wouldn't that be too weird?" she explained, showing how sure she was of the conclusion she had just reached. Dominique's concerns were throwing Victoire off.

"Dom, nobody is getting married," she answered with a nervous laugh.

"Then, what _are_ you doing?"

Victoire stayed silent for a moment, her mouth half open. That was another question she hadn't thought of. One thing was certain: whatever it was that they were doing, she loved it to death. She realized that for a person like her, who always needed to have everything under control, she was taking things with him quite coolly.

She got together with Warren in a very schematic way. He knew she liked him, she knew he liked her and he said and did all the right things to win her full interest. According to Victoire, that was the right way to get a boyfriend. It had all been under control since the very beginning, no surprises included.

With Teddy, on the other hand, it was a very different deal. She had been oblivious for so long that the night she realized how much she fancied him, her entire sanity betrayed her. She didn't even stop to rationalize that Teddy had been going after her for months. Instead, she jumped into a silly conclusion that made her think that he didn't feel the same way she did. But she couldn't think clearly with so many sudden emotions fogging her nervous system. The epiphany that took over her brought nothing but things she had never felt before. The shock of her realization, the angst of not knowing how he felt, the sudden necessity of having him all for herself, took advantage of her. Things were clearly out of control for Victoire Weasley.

But not even now had she stopped to think about what she was doing. It didn't really matter. Every morning she woke up with the urge of seeing his irresistible smile in The Great Hall, and when each of them took off to class she couldn't bare the hours she had to put up with before wondering into his eyes again. And when she went to bed every night she was too busy reliving in her head the electrifying sensation of his lips pressed against hers. The way her heart began to beat at irregular paces and the rush of blood that went straight to her head overwhelmed her too much to stop to think about anything else.

Dominique's last question became resonant. Her little sister wanted to know what she was doing with Teddy. Just then Victoire realized that she was going to hear that same question many times from now on. Her family was going to wonder how serious this was. In less than a minute Dominique had managed to ask questions that concerned the distant future, a future that wasn't in her head, mainly because her head had place just for the present with Teddy. She wasn't looking to control any of this. She wasn't looking to label their relationship. She wasn't looking to imagine herself in a puffy white dress like all girls did when they start a relationship. She didn't need to control anything, simply because it was perfect just as it was.

She smiled widely and looked at her sister.

"I...I believe I'm..._dating_ him," she explained with simplicity. Dominique obviously didn't see the importance of the words. The girl shrugged, as if she had been waiting for a more concrete answer.

"Fine," she concluded softly. "What are mum and dad going to say?"

Victoire clicked. She remembered the other reason she had chased her sister down the castle, she had to make sure Dominique didn't tell the entire family before she did.

"Dom," she whispered sweetly. "Promise you won't tell them. Better yet, promise you won't tell anybody. Not even Molly or Lucy."

"Why?" she asked thrown off.

"Because, _I_ have to tell them."

"But—"

"—I'll tell them, I promise. But you have to keep the secret, between you and me."

"and Teddy," corrected Dominique.

"And Teddy." Victoire smiled.

Dominique stopped to think for a moment. Victoire saw the sparkle on her little sister's eyes, and immediately sensed that something else was coming.

"I'll keep the secret," she said with rehearsed innocence. "If you let me wear your blue top, and the earrings aunt Ginny gave you for Christmas."

"You little," Victoire's teeth clenched. She stopped to look at Dominique, and at her proud smile. She bit her lip, it was important to preserve the little patience she had left. "Fine. You can wear them. But the top won't fit you, you'll see," she said bitterly.

When Dominique took off towards the painting again, wearing a pleased and wide smile, Victoire stood up and exhaled strongly. She turned and walked down the stairs and away from the fat lady. She reached the corner of a hallway, and before turning Teddy's body appeared in front of her blocking the way.

"Hey," he whispered. Victoire jumped startled.

"Stop sneaking up on people!" she said breathless. Teddy chuckled softly.

"How did it go?" he asked, his hands inside his pockets.

"Not so bad, but it will cost me my entire wardrobe, probably," she said frowning. Teddy laughed.

"Dominique knows where to find silver linings," he said extending his arm and offering his hand.

Victoire grabbed it tightly, and walked silently with him. After a moment Teddy turned his head toward hers.

"So, Victoire Weasley, what _are_ you doing with me?" asked his deep voice, with a mocking, yet enticing tone decorating each word.

"You were listening?"

"Only when Dominique was loud enough," he explained. He stopped and faced her. "I'd love to hear what you answered, though," he said with a small smile.

Victoire raised her eyebrow, and pressed her lips tightly. "You'll have to imagine it. I'm not saying anything," she answered firmly.

"Oh. You want to leave it to my imagination, then?" he asked softly, pulling her close to him. "You shouldn't do that." Victoire felt a shiver that travelled all the way up her spine the moment she saw his small smirk. She shrugged faintly and stood on the tip of her toes to reach his mouth instinctively.

_Artist: Hooverphonic_

_Feel the vibe, feel the terror, feel the pain  
Its driving me insane  
I can't fake  
For God sakes why am i  
Driving in the wrong lane  
Trouble is my middle name  
But in the end I'm not too bad  
Can someone tell me if it's wrong to be so mad about you  
Mad about you  
Mad  
Are you the fishy wine that will give me  
A headache in the morning  
Or just a dark blue land mine  
That'll explode without a decent warning  
Give me all your true hate  
And Ill translate it in our bed  
Into never seen passion, never seen passion  
That is why I am so mad about you  
Mad about you  
Mad about you  
Mad  
Trouble is your middle name  
But in the end you're not too bad  
Can someone tell me if it's wrong to be  
So mad about you_


	17. Relax, Take it Easy

_A/N: Thanks to all of you I reached 100 reviews! To those __of you who review every chapter and to those who review occasionally: Thank you so much!! It brings the urge of writing to another level when somebody else is enjoying your story. _

_To those of you who never review: If you liked it, then please do. A few words won't take much of your time, but they will make the writer very happy._

**Relax, Take it easy**

_March 29, 2016_

_--_

"Teddy…" whispered Victoire, moderating the exasperation of her voice, but she was sure it came out somewhat exhilarated.

"Victoire…" he nodded once, with an amount of formality she hadn't seen on him before, and for a moment she assumed he was just joking, but when he crossed the doorframe stiff as a broomstick, she acknowledged he was just as nervous as her. She closed the door behind them and she didn't notice when she pressed her entire back against the warm wood. She took a deep breath and observed him as he walked into her grand's living room.

Teddy didn't walk more than three feet before Rose came running straight at him. He washed the stress off his face, and made way for a smile as he swiped Rose off her feet and into his arms. With the grip tight on the girl, or vice versa, he turned to Victoire again.

"Who else is here?" he asked quietly.

"Well, so far... just uncle Ron, aunt Hermione, uncle Harry, aunt Ginny and well…the kids…" she replied walking up to him to caress Rose's soft and puffy red curls. The girl's giggles were somehow reassuring.

"_So_ far?" he questioned in worry. The stress was back to his eyes. "You mean more people's coming?" Victoire shrugged in disconcert. Earlier that day, when her Grand invited Bill to have dinner with his family at The Burrow, Victoire assumed it would only be her grandparents, her parents and her brothers. She honestly didn't think she'd find four of her uncle's already there with their little ones. She thought it would be a good moment to break the news, hence the reason she had asked Teddy to come over, but now she realized she had been crazy to think that Easter Week was a good moment to expect small family gatherings and dinners.

"I suppose its best this way… isn't it?" he asked serenely, expecting her approval. She shrugged again. With the girl still in his arms, Teddy walked to the other side of the room to greet the small crowd that had settled in the living room. But the small crowd got bigger within minutes. Percy dropped by with Audrey and their twins, and Victoire wasn't at all surprised when George walked in through the fireplace, with both Roxie and Fred in his arms, pulling his hair. He was just dropping by for a moment, but Molly insisted they all stayed for dinner.

There was something genuinely strange about that day's environment. It held the same people, same noises, same faces, and still, Victoire had never been more uncomfortable around them in her entire life. The problem was the house, she thought at first. As if there was some unnecessary amount of hot air swelling the environment. A stronger force of gravity was pushing her legs into the ground. The brown couch she was sharing with Teddy had never felt that uncomfortable, mainly because she was making sure that no part of her body touched his, and he must have been doing the same. The effect was that she had never been more aware of the distance that separated them. At first she stayed as far away from him as possible, afraid to seem too obvious. It took her a couple of minutes to realize she was being ridiculous.

Nobody noticed that something was different, just them...

And that was just it. Nobody had the slightest clue of what was going on, except for her sister, of course, who loved the idea of being her secret keeper, partly because she got to share something with Victoire, but mainly because every day she found new ways of blackmailing her, and Victoire was getting sick of it.

They were being rather discreet about their relationship. At school they were inseparable, and after their public first kiss, everybody in their years knew they were together, but to prevent any scandals with Molly and Lucy, the only members of her family who attended school, they were keeping the physical contact on the low profile. That only meaning that after over a month, they were masters at knowing all the dark corners of Hogwarts. They knew which ones were the emptiest classrooms and knew by heart the loneliest spots at the shores of the black lake.

Victoire turned to face Teddy for a moment. He was sitting straight on the couch, his face staring blankly into the moving bodies of the living room. They hadn't spoke for the last half hour, just a few glances and a couple of sweet, encouraging smiles that didn't really work to calm her nerves down. She felt the immune impulse of settling her hand on top of his, which was resting motionless on the couch. There was nothing wrong with that, she thought at first. There was nothing wrong with holding his hand. She tried to think of the last time she held his hand in front of their family before, to convince herself that it wasn't a weird tthing to do.

She couldn't think of at least one time.

Maybe that's what she had to do. Maybe they were making a huge deal of a very simple situation. Maybe she could hold his warm hand for the rest of the evening and nobody would notice. Maybe she could follow the impulse of running her hands down his electric blue hair, not only for the pleasure of feeling his skin under the tip of her fingers, but also to watch him shut his eyes softly as she did so, to feel him breathing deeper, and to enjoy the way his hair changed colours at the touch of her skin. Maybe it was easier if everybody just found out as spectators, instead of having to verbally declare that something was going on between them.

Maybe she should dare to press her lips against his skin as well, to satisfy her urge of feeling his skin rise under hers.

Victoire cleared her throat and shook her head. She withdrew the hand that had been venturing towards his side of the couch in a sharp move.

There was nothing appropriate about the things that were going through her head at the moment. It wasn't the place for that. But, it was well known, even if she denied it, that she was very inappropriate when she followed her impulses. No matter how much she tried to behave, to show an acceptable image in and out of school, she was the one with the senseless impulses. _He_...well, Teddy had more senses than she would have liked him to. He had a very sharp way of identifying when the intensity between the two of them was getting out of hand to put an end to it.

How he managed it was beyond her. She hadn't kissed him for two days and she was already going out of her mind.

She turned to face him. His lips were pressed tightly together, and his hands had moved to settle on top of each of his knees. She noticed his fingers clenching on his skin. He turned his face around as soon as he sensed her sight upon his. He looked at her and a very small, almost unreadable smile played on his lips. She twisted her mouth into a smile just as small.

They didn't stop staring into each other's eyes for a long while. She wondered if he was as eager as her to break the tension between them, gently or fiercely, but to at least break it. Unconsciously, she bit her lower lip tightly, and the skin on the back of her neck shivered the moment his eyes travelled compulsively to her lips, and contemplated them from the distance. Her hands trembled when she realized that after a while she was still biting her own lips and his sight wasn't moving away from her mouth.

The shattering of wings startled her, and small golden feathers all over the air broke the invisible thread that was pulling them together. Metis, her petit owl had settled on the free spot of the couch, right between them. Teddy exhaled strongly and looked again up front.

Victoire raised her eyebrow at the inopportune but oblivious owl, but a second later felt grateful for the intromission, because, again, she wasn't being very appropriate.

When she looked at Teddy one more time, she noticed how he struggled over the couch to sit properly, trying to act like he was comfortable, when clearly...he wasn't.

"You're nervous…" she whispered, leaning slightly forward.

"I'm not nervous!" he whispered back, refusing to face her again.

"Yes you are. You're sweating!" she pointed out. He turned his head to look at her, his frown hard, probably a response for her lack of touch.

"That's because it's hot in here," he retorted, before clearing his throat, and placed his hand on the back of his neck, holding it tightly, indulging that it was hurting badly.

Victoire looked around, at her Grand playing with Roxie and Lily, at her parents sitting on the same armchair, talking to Harry, Arthur and Percy. Fleur was sitting, as gracefully as always, on the arm of the furniture, her hands caressing Bill's shoulders sweetly. She remembered how her mum's temper went from sweet and polite to explosively furious in a matter of seconds. The scene was never pretty to look at, and she was never very sure of what could set her mother off. The only person who could always see it coming, and seemed to always have the perfect words to persuade her was Victoire's dad.

She scanned the room to the right, where Hermione had a fluent conversation with Audrey and Ginny, from which they occasionally laughed, especially Audrey, whose sense of humour was the easiest one to please. She didn't care to continue travelling her eyes around the place, she knew well just how crowded it was.

What was she supposed to do now? Ask everybody to stop and listen, because she had an important announcement? That didn't sound appealing.

"There's too many people in here…" she said absently.

"Too many people…" she heard him answer.

"They're busy doing other things…" she continued.

"They're all busy," Teddy agreed.

"We don't want to bother them...right?" she asked, acknowledging how little she was anticipating it.

"Right. We don't."

"It can wait..."

"Definitely."

A silence occupied the space between them. Metis' sweet hoot was the only thing that woke her up from her uncomfortable trance. She stood up from the couch in a quick move.

"You know…it really is hot in here," she said, with acted simplicity.

"I told you…" he answered vaguely, his sight fixed on her parents. Victoire rolled her eyes.

"I'm going outside...get some fresh air," she stopped for a second. "_Alone."_ Teddy's back straightened. His head turned and his eyes looked up at her. His face was plain but his sight was filled in an expectation that immediately pleased Victoire. "I'll probably just walk all the way to the creek or something. You know…by _myself._.." she said, with an enticing touch spread in her voice. The small owl that had settled on the couch opened her wings, flew up and sat on her shoulder. Victoire gave her pet a friendless look. "...and probably Metis..."

"Vic...I don't think we shoul—"

"I'm not suggesting anything..." she said plainly. He raised his eyebrow. "I'm just letting you know where I'll be." She shrugged her shoulder innocently and the owl had to grab tightly to her shoulder to avoid falling off.

Teddy's stare became deeper. If he let that little chance of being alone with her for at least 10 minutes pass by, then his self restrain was stronger than she ever imagined. He lifted the right corner of his lip, into a gentle smirk.

"I'll meet you there in ten minutes," he whispered.

--

_March 31, 2016_

Victoire stepped out of the chimney and into her uncle's living room. She walked through the deserted house, following the female voices that came from the kitchen.

"Aunt Hermione?" Victoire called.

"_Isn't that Victorie?"_ she heard Ginny say.

"_Yes, she said she'd be coming…"_ answered the voice of Hermione. _"…in the kitchen!"_ she said raising her tone.

"Hi aunt Ginny," said Victorie as she walked into the kitchen. The two women were sitting at the small square table, each of them held a cup of tea. The girl rapidly took a seat by her aunts, and Ginny glanced discreetly at Hermione.

"So…what's up?" asked Victoire, after a few seconds of her own silence.

"Tea?" asked Hermione, already standing up to grab an extra cup. Victorie nodded and pressed her lips tightly.

"What's up with you?" Ginny said with interest.

"Oh…nothing really, just the…usual," she said before swallowing hard.

"Right…" she said behind a smile. Hermione returned with the steamy cup, and handed it to Victorie, who immediately decided to kill time by sipping it, forgetting that it was still too warm to drink.

" So...where are the kids?" asked Victorie after a while, and Ginny and Hermione exchanged complicit glances one more time in front of her.

"They're both at my parents," answered Hermione as she gently blew her beverage to cool it off.

"And uncle Ron?"

"It's just us three, Victorie," answered Ginny half smiling. "You can talk freely." Victorie straightened herself and Hermione hit Ginny's arm with her elbow. Hermione was used to Victorie's routine when she was seeking for advice, and she would always let her ramble until she felt comfortable enough to talk. Ginny, on the other hand, preferred to go straight to the point.

Victoire's fingers played with the cup for a minute, until she felt too questioned by her aunt's eyes to postpone what she came to say.

"Well…I—something happened between Teddy and me…a few weeks ago," she finally said, pink in the face, waiting for their reaction. Hermione tried, in vain, to hold back a smile, and glanced at Ginny for the third time.

"Damn it!" said Ginny, shutting her eyes tightly. "…I owe you 25 sickles…" she admitted, before sipping her tea again.

"Ginny!" scolded Hermione.

"What?" Victoire asked, feeling she had missed something important. Maybe they hadn't listened to what she had just said.

Ginny laughed, probably at the confusion written on Victoire's face.

"What is—you two _knew_?" she asked, her voice drowning in astonishment. The women nodded in unison. "And…you had a bet going on?" she asked horrified.

"Well, not really…" hesitated Hermione.

"I just thought it would take you longer to figure it out," Ginny said with a little shrug. Hermione here gave you more credit."

"Figure what out?" asked Victoire, again thrown off.

"That Teddy fancied you," said Hermione simply. Victoire took a hand to her face, covering one of her eyes. Her reaction had Ginny cracking up.

"Since when do _you _know?" she asked.

"Just last Christmas," answered Hermione.

"But I honestly thought it would take you longer to figure it out. You did well, I have to say," admitted Ginny. Victoire sighed. She was sure her face showed just how embarrassed she was.

"I—didn't really figure it out. _He _was the one…who realized I fancied him…he was the one who did something about it. I just…well, It took me a while to realize that I felt something…"she said, regretting just how silly she had been those few weeks. "And if it hadn't been for Teddy, well…"

"—Hey! That means I won!" interrupted Ginny cheerfully. "You owe me money."

"Ginny!" said Hermione, laughing widely.

"Was he _that_ obvious?" she asked, leaning forward. "How come I never noticed?"

"Actually, he wasn't obvious at all…we just happened to catch it at an inconvenient moment for him."

Victoire posed her face on the palm of her hand. "Where was I? What was I thinking?"

"You were probably in Warren land," answered Ginny.

"Don't remind me that," she said rolling her eyes.

"Anyway…" said Hermione, leaning forward to grab Victoire's hand. "I think it's wonderful," she encouraged, smiling.

"It is," nodded Ginny, a sweet smile on her face as well. Victoire returned the gesture and drank some more tea before saying what was really on her mind.

"Do Bill and Fleur know?" asked Hermione, getting to it faster than Victoire. The girl shook her head.

"When are you going to tell them?" Hermione asked again.

"I don't know…" she said, glancing at the table. "I'm not sure I should tell them yet, I mean it's all so new—"

"—You have to tell them," they said in unison. Victoire's eyes widened as she bit her lower lip.

"But…I…well. I don't know how to. And Easter break is almost over so…"

"How convenient," said Ginny sarcastically.

"Victorie…what are you so scared of? It's Teddy! Just tell your parents. Try to find a moment you feel comfortable with," suggested Hermione.

"That's the thing. I don't think I'll feel comfortable…ever," she clarified.

"With Teddy?" asked Ginny.

"No! That's the thing! It's Teddy! I really don't want to ruin this."

"That's actually really sweet," said Ginny smiling.

"Anyway…you were friends with uncle Harry and uncle Ron before going out with them. Was it hard for you? You know…to tell your parents."

Hermione laughed immediately, as if she was part of a private joke. She stood up, and walked to the stove to reach the teapot. "Actually," she said, smiling still. "My dad already thought we were going out," Hermione returned and filled the three cups. She then reached for the box of biscuits that was on top of the counter and brought it to the table, before sitting down again. "So, when I told him I was going out with Ron he was quiet for a moment and said something like 'Yes but…what where you going to tell me'. And I said: 'well…that!' He looked very relieved. I think he thought I was going to announce that I was getting married or something."

"Maybe he thought you were pregnant," said Ginny, reaching for a biscuit. Hermione gave the redhead a hard look, which only lasted a few seconds, due to Ginny's careless attitude.

"My mum…" continued Hermione. "…was delighted. The poor thing had to put up with me winning and complaining about how much I hated Ron for seven years."

"We all did…" said Ginny sternly, biting the biscuit. Hermione directed another killing look towards Ginny.

"Why don't _you_ tell Victoire how Molly and Arthur reacted?"

Victoire looked at Ginny, who was turning slightly red in the face. "Tell me!" she requested with curiosity.

"Well…" she hesitated.

"I'll tell her," offered Hermione.

"No!" Ginny put the remains of the biscuit on a plate and gave Hermione an unpleasant look before beginning. "Well, after dad assimilated the news and said something to Harry about how he wouldn't have had it any other way, he got so nervous around me that he actually turned around and _congratulated _me for finally catching his attention. Can you believe that? In front of Harry!" she said frustrated, her cheeks turning red, as if the scene had occurred a few days before. "That was very humiliating…" she concluded.

Hermione laughed out loudly and Victoire didn't contain her laughing as well. Between her embarrassment, Ginny managed to give a small smile away.

"What about my Grand? What did she say?" asked Victoire feeling relieved with the stories her aunts where giving away. It seemed way simpler than she had imagined.

"Well…my mum couldn't have been happier. She threw herself at Harry. She kissed him and said about a thousand times how thrilled she was, for both of us. I'm surprised she didn't marry us at that very moment." Ginny stopped to think for a second, sipping tea from her cup as she did so. "And then she threw in her share of awkward comments."

"Oh…right…"whispered Hermione. "She said she was even happier because she though Harry and _I_ had something going on. And she had been very sad for Ron and Ginny." Victoire chocked on her drink.

"Yes…that was a mess," continued Ginny. "My bright brother gave Hermione a hard afternoon that day."

Hermione chuckled. "He said I had been handing out the wrong message." Victoire smiled, if there was something she was certain of, and she still witnessed was her Uncle Ron's jealousy attacks. It didn't surprise her much to hear he had been jealous of Harry at a time.

"And then…" Ginny kept going. "My mum came up with a whole deal of rules she had never used on me before."

"Yes, those applied for Ron and me as well…"

"At first she was very strict. And very hard to fool around the house. She had an eye on the four of us. It was very annoying."

Victoire swallowed hard. She realized the same thing could happen with her. Up until now the only men who had walked into her room had been her dad, her litle brother, and Teddy. She knew that amount of trust was going to fade, and was certain that she would have to put up with more than that. She pressed her lips together again, and Ginny and Hermione saw just how mortified she was.

"Victoire, postponing isn't going to help," said Hermione, leaning forward again to hold her hand one more time. "Besides, it's Teddy! Bill and Fleur adore him. Just make sure you give them enough time to get adjusted. And try to tell them before you go back to school. You don't want Fleur flipping out if she hears of it while you're away."

Victoire nodded. That meant she had until the next day.

"Enough of that! What is it like?" asked Ginny, making herself comfortable on the chair. "Is he a good kisser?" she asked. Victoire flushed in two seconds.

"Ginny…" Hermione tried to scold her, but turned to Victoire as well. "well…is he?" she too asked.

A shy smile fell off Victoire's face. She bit her lip and looked at her two aunts. "He is," she admitted breathless.

"It's only natural," said Ginny simply, as if Victoire had stated the obvious. "Teddy is perfect," she affirmed shrugging.

"You sound like Molly when she talks about Bill," mocked Hermione. Ginny rolled her eyes, but didn't deny it.

"You better take care of him," Ginny teased Victoire, forcing her voice to pretend sternness. Victoire chuckled nervously, and made a mental note to remind herself that from now on, whenever she needed advice about something related to Teddy she would only ask Hermione for it…just in case.

"Anyway…just relax, Victoire. Everything's going to be fine," reassured Hermione.

"It is…" said Ginny smiling and nodding in return. "You'll see…"

--

_Artist: Mika_


	18. To be Loved

**To be Loved**

_April 1__st__ ,2016_

Bill stared outside the window, questioning the time. He contemplated the sun setting in the light blue line at the end of the horizon, hiding beneath the gentle current of the ocean. The squeals of the afternoon seagulls that took over the shore distracted him for a full time of five minutes.

When the sunset began to consume the daylight out of the scene, he walked to the kitchen silently and leaned against the door frame, to wonder his eyes at the svelte figure of his wife, who was moving around the room, flicking her wand repeated times to move dirty pans into the sink and to open the oven more than once to check it's content. She turned around once she felt his presence and smiled briefly before returning to the pot on the stove.

"At what time do you suppose she'll be here?" he asked, trying to sound calm.

"She said around six," answered Fleur distracted. "She's 30 minutes late. But it is fine, dinner's not ready yet," she assured when her husband glanced at the round clock on the wall. Bill couldn't help sighing before he walked up to the kitchen table and sat in one of the chairs. He grabbed the Daily prophet that was resting on the table and opened it somewhere in the middle. Headlines and moving pictures captured his eyes but vaguely his attention. He heard Fleur opening the small window of the kitchen.

"Dominique! Come inside. Eet's getting dark," he heard her order.

"_Maman! I'm practicing!"_ said the far voice of his middle child.

"Not when eet's dark! Put zat broom in eets place and get inside!" she said impatiently.

"_But—"_

"Dominique..." said Bill, his eyes fixed on the parchment but he knew his voice had been powerful enough to be heard outside. He confirmed the effect when he didn't hear her complain anymore and a few seconds later the back door of the kitchen opened.

"Good," said Fleur. "Dominique, would you 'elp me set ze table? Use ze good tableware." 

Bill's eyes left the paper and focused on his wife. "The _good_ tableware?" he asked.

"Yes. I want dinner to be perfect," she answered simply. "For Victoire and 'er boyfriend."

Bill's skin shivered.

Boyfriend: a word that defines into a man's worst headaches and most constant insomnia. The composed word meant male intruder with the only purpose of ruining a man's happiness by messing with his most valuable treasure: his eldest daughter. And the fact was that nothing good came out when using that word. The entire concept of his daughter dating men at the age of fifteen brought nothing but a painful flip of the stomach.

What made the word even more unpleasant was the way Victoire pronounced it, proud and eager. She had been determined the day before when she pointed out that she wanted her boyfriend to come for dinner.

_"Meet him? Don'__t we know your boyfriend already?"_ Bill had asked.

_"Dad__ I broke up with Warren weeks ago,"_ Victoire had answered. As if weeks was the same as saying decades or centuries.

But the worst part of the scenario was that any teenage boyfriend was nothing else but a walking hormone time bomb. But Bill was a sensible man, and as such he understood more than well that just like he had to watch for the time bomb's hormones, he had to worry about his daughter's as well. As much as he disliked admitting it, he knew that Victoire was as temperamental as she was passionate, but he didn't want to picture just how passionate she could be towards the opposite sex.

Bill shook his head strongly, shutting out the image that was venturing inside his head. His daughter was only fifteen...fifteen years old. She seemed so young, and that last thought increased his worries.

"Are you alright?" asked his wife, standing behind him, and setting her hand on his shoulder. Bill nodded, but his poor gesture didn't drive Fleur away. He passed each of the pages of the Prophet, and a second later he felt her fingers running through his hair, grabbing his locks tightly. Fleur leaned down and pressed her soft, warm lips against his neck. He turned around just enough to stretch his arm and wrap her waist with it. He pulled her softly towards him, so his head ended up resting against her stomach.

"She is very beautiful," whispered Fleur, as if she was reading his mind, capturing the root of his worries. She spoke with a tone that was both secure and inevitably proud. That wasn't new at all. The first time Bill held his daughter in his arms, he knew that Fleur would be right at predicting that it was going to be an incredibly beautiful woman someday.

And when she was five years old and he took her to Diagon Alley, holding her small hand tightly inside his, he knew by the looks people gave her as they stopped to admire her wide blue eyes and long, exotic shinny hair, that she was going to be his permanent headache until she got married. He realized back then that she was going to catch attention involuntarily. The only positive thing was that she didn't seem to have inherited her mother's veela powers, or so he thought. Maybe they were a part of her, but in a least obvious way, because there was something in her eyes and her entire behaviour that was enough to stun any man without even trying.

"She is," Bill admitted, pressing his lips against his wife's stomach. Fleur caressed his head for a moment before speaking again.

"But she is also very smart," said Fleur. "She won't be with someone who is not worz eet." That was another true, and Bill had no other choice than to hope for at least that.

"I guess you're right..." he concluded sternly.

"Zen, what's Ze matter?"

"I just don't see why we have to meet him already. How many times is she going to change boyfriends? Isn't she supposed to introduce them when they're serious?"

Fleur shrugged. She was guilty for inviting the former boyfriend, but this time it had been Victoire the eager one. "Whatever eet is, eet can't possibly be serious," assured Fleur, letting go of her husband's grip to attend the stove and the oven again. "She is only fifteen."

Bill sighed strongly "I don't know. She can be...pretty intense." Fleur ignored his last comment, and Bill went back to flipping the pages of the newspaper.

During the Christmas holidays, when he agreed to sit in a table with Victoire's last catch, he was thankful he didn't have to put up with that every time she came home. But he had obviously been wrong. That night he was introduced to a man, about Victoire's age, whose face was filled with too much pride for such a young person.

The boy, whose manners seemed slightly over rehearsed, talked for most of the evening, Fleur asked question after question, delighted with every one of his answers. But Bill secluded himself in a silent fence, where he dedicated the evening to observe the guy.

Being the eldest of six brothers he had a very sharp eye for male stereotypes and of course, he was rather good at finding base sustained flaws in them. He qualified his behaviour as mere observation, although it might have been translated by the kid as silent torture, because he didn't speak to Bill once during dinner, and he barely looked at him the entire night.

If the boy was intimidated by him, then wonderful, because even when Bill was good at preserving his thoughts to himself and keeping things calm, he still didn't mind in making the point that he was the _father_ of the girl he was dating. The poor kid wasn't at all that bad, though. Bill concluded that his worst sin probably was dating Victoire.

Tonight he was planning on doing the same. He would scan the kid from head to toes, to see if he could find something improper in him. But he also had to try and trust his daughter's judgment. Fleur was right, Victoire was smart, and she wasn't going to put up with someone who wasn't just what she deserved, and according to Bill, she deserved the very best.

"Daddy, tell Louis to stop playing with my broom, he's not allowed!" said Dominique as she walked in the kitchen, and pulled out of a cabinet the fancy plates Fleur's mother had given them for their wedding.

"Dom, there's nothing wrong in sharing your things with your brother," he replied absently. "As long as he doesn't fly inside the house..." He heard his daughter exhaling strongly.

"Dominique," said Fleur turning around from the stove. The girl stopped at the door, with her arms full of plates. " 'ave you met your sister's new boyfriend?" Bill raised his sight to look at his middle child. Dominique's big blue eyes jumped from her mother to her father quickly.

"Um...met him? Uh...yeah, I've met him," she answered vaguely, which was awfully weird considering how much Dominique enjoyed talking, especially if it was about somebody else.

"What is he like?" asked the mother again.

"Well. He is...nice," Dominique hesitated. "He's fun...and cute and...He really likes her," she said, her eyes filling with worry.

"Does she really like him?"

"Well, yes, I guess. I don't know. She's very weird about him," the girl said, her voice trembling slightly. "They are both weird..."

"Weird?" asked Fleur, now sounding as concerned as Bill was. "What do you mean by weird?"

"I don't know...but I don't always see them together. He's not a Ravenclaw and he's taking his N.E.W.T.S so—"

"—He's two years older than her?" asked Bill.

"Maman...can I just set the table?" asked Dominique quickly. She didn't let them answer; instead she turned around and walked out of the kitchen.

Dominique's behaviour set Bill's mind off again. A man two years older than her, who for some reason seemed weird to Dominique.

"What do you suppose she meant?" he asked turning to his wife.

"_Daddy! Louis is flying inside the house!"_ yelled Dominique from the living room.

"_Am not!"_ retorted Louis' voice.

"I better go check on those two," said Bill, standing up and crossing the door to the living room. He found the two kids holding the stick to the same broom tightly, each of them pulling it towards their direction, and before he could put an order to the situation he heard a knock on the door. He turned his head and frowned, knowing it was Victoire, and not understanding the reason she was knocking. He took a deep breath and walked towards the door. When he put his hand on the knob, he reminded himself that whoever was outside the house had been of Victoire's own choice, and he had nothing to do but believe that he was good enough for her, and just what she deserved.

If he wasn't then he would find out soon enough.

--

"Why are you knocking?" whispered Teddy, he slipped his hands inside his pockets and a second later took them out again. "Use your key."

"No, it's better this way. They can at least prepare themselves," she explained, giving the same reason she gave him when he asked why they weren't traveling through the chimney. 

"Alright then…we'll go straight in," he stated, his chest rising with the decision.

"Would you calm down?"

"I am perfectly fine."

"Of course Teddy…"

"Do you have like a speech prepared or something?"

"No...I'll improvise," she assured. Teddy smiled for a moment and grabbed her hand tightly with his. They waited together for a couple of very short seconds, but when he saw the knob of the door turning, he impulsively released Victoire's hand and slipped it inside his pocket.

"Teddy!" she complained.

"It's better this way," he explained. The door opened and Bill's plain face was the first thing Teddy saw. He was waiting for it to develop a stern expression, maybe a concerned one too. But instead, Bill's face went from expressionless to mildly relieved.

"Hi dad," whispered Victoire, smiling slightly.

"Hey," he said smiling back, and opening the door widely. "Forgot your key?"

"Um...yes," she said walking inside. Teddy didn't move at first, doing an effort at understanding the reason Bill was so tranquil. Was that going to be it? He felt foolish for being nervous about what was turning out to be a very simple thing. He exhaled all the air that had settled inside his lungs and crossed the doorframe.

"Are you here to give us moral support, Teddy?" asked Bill as he patted the boy's back gently, before closing the door behind them. Teddy turned around to look at Victoire's father for a minute. No wonder he was so calm. He opened his mouth and modulated but didn't build a word strong enough to be pronounced. When he turned the first person he saw was Victoire, biting her lip strongly. She, too, was looking into her father's oblivious eyes. He turned his face a couple of inches and caught sight of Victoire's two brothers. The boy, whose eyes where a light shade of brown and whose skin was purely white, could stand out in any crowd for his shiny silver hair. The girl, just two years older than him, had short blond hair, but shared her sister's eye colour. Dominique and Louis, who were standing still, were holding the same the broom with each of their hands. Dominique smiled and whispered a small "_hi"_ to him. Teddy made a moment to quit his awkward behaviour and winked at the girl.

"Dominique, please put that broom in its place," ordered Bill softly. Louis let go of the stick and Dominique disappeared from the living room to do as she was told.

Teddy and Victoire exchanged glances nervously. He gestured with his eyes and Victoire shrugged, clueless of what to do next.

Telling his grandmother had been so easy, he though. It took Andromeda 10 minutes to figure it out by herself. He invited Victoire for breakfast that morning at his house. She arrived with biscuits, muffins, cookies and everything she could bake the night before. Andromeda welcomed her gladly as always. But Victoire didn't control her sudden need to impress Teddy's relative, not that she really needed to. But she barely sat down and insisted on helping around so much that she didn't let Andromeda move at all. When the girl finally sat down Andromeda asked the very simple question:

"_So, how long have you two been together?"_

Victoire rambled unstoppably as she put six spoons of sugar into her small cup of tea. But it didn't take her long to calm down and enjoy the rest of the morning.

Right now Teddy wondered if Bill was going to be able to read him as well, or if Victoire was going to put it together once and for all and say something to anyone.

"Teddy!" said Fleur, who had just walked out of the kitchen. " 'ow are you sweet'eart?" she asked once she approached him and kissed him on the forehead. "I didn't know you were coming," she said through a smile. "Dominique," she said to the girl who was entering the living room again. "Would you set an extra plate, please?" Dominique frowned, she looked at Victoire and then at Teddy, both of them had muted. The three of them looked at each other repeatedly, like communicating with a private language. Dominique shrugged and went to the kitchen to get the extra plate for the extra person the family was expecting.

At that moment Teddy didn't avoid looking nervously at Victoire, seeing if he could communicate with their bare eyes. When he didn't get a thing out of his own girlfriend, he looked up front and got caught in Bill's sight.

A moment ago he had seen Bill relieved with his presence, truly oblivious of the reason behind his visit. But now, there was something entirely new about his sight, something, heavy, piercing. Teddy knew at that very moment that Bill caught up with the events in a matter of seconds. Whether it had been Dominique's behaviour or Teddy and Victoire's eye contact, or both things, it didn't matter. Bill understood clearly what was going on.

The man was the one standing the furthest of the bunch, but his heavy stare made Teddy feel like he was just a couple of inches away. His face was plain, serious, and expressionless. His eyes were fixed only on Teddy, who sustained his sight on Victoire's father as well.

"Maman," said Louis. "Are we eating now? I'm hungry!" he demanded.

"You'll 'ave to wait Louis, we're expecting Victoire's boyfriend."

Teddy heard Victoire clearing her throat. "Actually, the extra plate won't be necessary," he heard her say. But he didn't look at the girl, or at Fleur, or at Louis. Teddy's sight was still on Bill's, who had just crossed his arms. The two men seemed to be having a private conversation across the room.

"Why? Somezing 'appened?" asked Fleur again. Teddy heard Dominique giggling, and realized she had returned from the kitchen. 

"The thing is…well," Victoire began to ramble. "I'm— sort of, not sort of. Actually, the person I'm seeing now is, well, he is—"

"—Victoire and I are going out," said Teddy firmly, not to Fleur, or to Louis. He said it straight to Bill, the only person he had been sharing a stiff glance with for the past minutes. Bill's solemn expression did not change, and Teddy heard Fleur chuckling. But after nobody in the room said one more word, Fleur's voice came out as a weak string.

"Oh..."

"Maman..." said Louis after another silence. "Is Teddy allowed to be Victoire's boyfriend?"

Allowed...Teddy had never considered that. The possibility of having to ask her parents for permission had never been on the table for him. Now it seemed logical that he could have at least let them know...especially Bill.

"Dominique...could you please take your brozer upstairs?" asked Fleur sternly.

"What? No! I'm not missing the end of this."

"Dominique!"

The girl sighed strongly. "Fine," she said between her teeth. "I'm always excluded," she complained as she moved to grab Louis by the arm.

"Well...zis is interesting," said Fleur. Interesting wasn't the word Teddy had been looking for to label how embarrassed and exposed he felt at the moment. "Victoire..." she said somewhat coldly. "Kitchen, please?"

"What? But—"

"—Kitchen. Now," she ordered. The two women walked out of the room and a moment later Teddy could hear Fleur whispering something fast and incomprehensible. For the first time since he realized it, Bill moved. He uncrossed his arms and walked up to Teddy, pulled a chair out of the dining table and left it available for the boy. He pulled another one and sat down.

Teddy couldn't read anything from the way Bill was looking at him. The scars that covered his face never represented a problem to understand his eyes or his humour. But now his face was so plain, that it seemed impossible to get anything out of him. Teddy felt like an idiot. Right now he acknowledged that talking to Bill about Victoire would have been the right thing to do from the beginning. Not because he really had to ask for permission, but because Bill appreciated Teddy enough for him to trust him. Going for his daughter behind his back seemed now like the most stupid thing to do. And probably Bill was thinking the exact same thing.

"_Two months?"_ he heard the voice of Fleur say. "Y_ou 'ave been going out with 'im for almost two months and zis is when you choose to tell me?"_ she asked again.

He heard Victoire reply something at her mother, but it wasn't loud enough to be understood.

"_Of course it's a big deal Victoire Weasley. __Don't you trust me at all? At least enough to keep me informed!"_

Teddy knew that he should have predicted that Fleur would take the whole deal personally. 

Bill stared at him silently, his eyes pierced painfully. His arms were crossed again. There was a moment in which Teddy thought that the man wasn't even breathing. The boy did his best effort at maintaining his eyes as firm as Bill's. He wasn't going to look down. He wasn't sure if he was being evaluated or if Bill simply didn't want to say anything to him. Fleur's last word echoed inside his head: trust. He didn't want to lose that in the family, and definitely not with Bill.

On the other side of the wall Fleur was mumbling long sentences in French, and Victoire was raising her voice gradually to calm her mother down.

"So…"Teddy said, in an effort to fracture the hard silence. He didn't know if he preferred the frenetic woman Victoire was dealing with or the silent man who was killing him with his eyes. Bill nodded, and said nothing.

"Um…" he hesitated, his voice breaking as he rubbed his palm against his knees. "I'm I supposed to call you Mr. Weasley now?" he asked, his eyes bending in preoccupation.

Bill didn't restrain a laugh. In fact, it was loud enough to calm Fleur's bickering for a moment. His face relaxed as he uncrossed his arms, and Teddy saw again the pleasant man he was so fond of.

"You're a good guy, Teddy," he said, somehow parentally.

"I'm sorry if I—if I insulted you—"

"—Leave it," he shook his head. "Let's leave it at that."

"I know I should have told you..."

"You should have. But I understand why you didn't."

Teddy exhaled in relief and smiled softly but gratefully. "I guess this is a pretty big deal," he said.

"It is..." agreed Bill. "But...to be honest, I don't why we didn't see it coming."

"Yeah...it took us a while to figure it out as well." Teddy stopped for a moment. "And Bill, whatever the rules are I'll respect them. I'll understand them perfectly. I—"

"—Rules?" asked Bill frowning, somehow surprised by Teddy's disposition. "You want rules?"

"No! I mean, not that I want them, I'm just saying that—"

Bill's laugh interrupted Teddy, who was beginning to think he was messing everything up by suggesting something he certainly didn't want.

"Alright," said Bill nodding and raising his index. "I'll give you one rule." Teddy cleared his throat, and even Bill hesitated before speaking. "You know all those things George and Charlie, especially Charlie, have taught you about girls?" Teddy's eyes widened, his cheeks were beginning to burn, he wasn't sure but his hair might have been turning into different colours at the same time. "Would you mind erasing all those..._advices_ from your head?" he asked solemnly.

"Um—I uh, never—What advices?" he lied sheepishly. Bill laughed again, at least one of them was finding this entertaining.

"Thanks..." he said, smiling softly. Bill stood up and walked up to Teddy to pat his shoulder a couple of times. "Do you mind if I ask you something, Teddy? A bit personal?"

Teddy shook his head, but his cheeks turned scarlet again, and his breathing got faster by the second.

"Since it's you and Victoire we're talking about, I guess I want to know...just how serious is this?"

Teddy let out the air he had contained. He was relieved, because the question he had been expecting was a lot more personal than that. He was thankful for Bill's prudence.

"Well Bill, I won't speak for her, but... I'm pretty much..." he sighed as he looked up at the man. "Bill, I'm pretty much in love with her," he said directly. First time he said it out loud.

"That's what I though." Bill sighed and messed Teddy's hair with his hand. "I don't think anybody could care about her as much as you do. I just never thought it would be this way. Now it seems somewhat obvious," he said. "You deserve that much Teddy, and I like to think Victoire deserves you as well. But don't forget how young you two are," he said concerned.

"_Maman!!!"_ yelled Victoire for the first time. _"How can you be asking me that? That is none of your business!"_

"_It is a very simple question Victoire! Have you or have you not?"_

"_I have not!"_

Teddy took his hand to his eyes, and Bill cleared his throat. "Well, that settles the personal questions for today."

The door of the kitchen opened and Fleur appeared with a wide smile, nothing similar to the voice he had heard a minute ago. Fleur walked up to Teddy and hugged him tightly before she kissed his cheek softly.

"I'm very 'appy for you two," she said. Teddy smiled mildly and then looked at Victoire, who was entering the room at a slow pace, her face red as a tomato. Once he was released from Fleur's arms, he walked up to her.

"I had never seen you so red in my life," he whispered. Victoire breathed in deeply.

"Your hair..." she said weakly. "It's red, brown and green."

"Oh..." he said shaking his head.

"I don't get it," she said. "My mother yells at me for lying to her and asks me the most embarrassing questions of my life, but then runs off and kisses you. Did I miss something?"

Teddy chuckled. "Are you sorry we told them?" he whispered back, placing his index on the tip of her nose. She shook her head.

"No, it wasn't as bad as I imagined it, could have been much worse," she pointed out. Teddy laughed quietly again, as Fleur called Dominique and Louis, who came down surprisingly fast.

"I really want to kiss you right now," he said softly.

"Better not push it."

--

_A/N: You might not make much connection between the title of this song and the chapter itself, because__ the real relation is in the lyrics. Thanks for reviewing so far, please keep telling me what you think! _

_Artist: Curtis Stigers _

Lyrics:

_Mind your manners__  
__Watch your weight__  
__Be a good boy__  
__Just behave__  
__What's wrong with you?__  
__Settle down.__  
__Keep your two feet on the ground.__  
__Stand up straight__  
__Sit up tall__  
__Never falter__  
__Never fall__  
__Stay in school__  
__Make the grade__  
__Never fail__  
__And never fade___

_Be a hero__  
__Be a star__  
__Anything but what you are__  
__Find a girl to possess__  
__Always pay, pursue, protect__  
__Be a master__  
__Be a slave__  
__Work your ass into an early grave___

_But you deserve to be loved__  
__You deserve something real__  
__Time to heal__  
__Time to feel___

_Daddy's favorite little girl__  
__Dress up in your momma's pearls__  
__Serve us breakfast in her bed__  
__Have a little kiss on the forehead__  
__You are sugar__  
__You are spice__  
__You are growing up so nice__  
__Paint your nails__  
__Paint your face__  
__Paint around the empty space___

_Find a man that can provide__  
__Try and fill the hole inside__  
__With a family and a home__  
__Tell yourself you're not alone__  
__Keep your memories of yourself__  
__In a shoebox on a closet shelf___

_But you deserve to be loved__  
__You deserve something real__  
__Time to heal__  
__Time to feel_


	19. Everything

**Everything**

_May__ 28, 2016_

**--**

Victoire's fingers meddled through Teddy's black locks. While her left hand was busy caressing her boyfriend's head, which rested comfortably on her lap, her right hand went through the pages of her Astronomy book, which was so heavy that was set on the grass instead. She finally found the constellation she had been looking for, so she glanced at the closed eyes of her boyfriend.

Teddy had been asleep for the last twenty minutes. The soft breeze of the lake, the shade of the tree they were sitting at and Victoire's fingers running down his hair had done the trick. Once she made sure that his eyes were truly closed and that his breathing remained slow and peaceful, she removed her left hand from his face and tried to reach for her bag.

"Don't stop," said Teddy, his voice rough and his eyes still closed.

"I thought you were asleep," Victoire replied, raising an eyebrow.

"I was, and then you stopped."

"I was reaching for my parchments. There's a constellation I want to review."

"You're studying Astronomy?" he asked, opening his right eyes slightly.

"My Astronomy Owl is in three days," she reminded him, but at the same time she gave up on reaching her bag and went for Teddy's hair again.

"You know those books by heart. It's your best assignment," he said, closing his eye again to the feeling of her touch. Victoire shrugged.

"I was just reviewing it. You should be doing the same."

"I did, I went to bed at three am last night."

"See, that's the thing. Normal people study during daylight."

"What's that supposed to mean? _Normal people?_" He retorted.

"That you study at night and sleep during the afternoons. Your schedule is throwing mine off, you know."

"I don't have a schedule. I'm just a night person."

"No, you're lunar, which supports my theory of your behavio—"

"Ah! No, don't start that again!" he begged, opening his eyes and wrinkling his face.

"Fine, fine, I won't!" she replied, grabbing his head tightly with both hands so he would stop moving it. His expression softened and his eyes closed and relaxed on her lap like before. He sighed after a moment and Victoire rested her head against the tree and closed her eyes as well, to savour the tranquil moment.

"I'm just glad these NEWTS are almost over, Friday will be my last one," he confessed. Victoire opened her eyes abruptly; she bit her lips to the thoughts that were gathering inside her head, even though she had tried to shut them out those last weeks.

Between her OWLs and his NEWTs there was very little time to be spent together, and as more and more weeks went by, Victoire couldn't stop feeling terrified for what was coming. Enough had changed in her life in the past months, in a good way, but now the changes that were coming weren't at all welcomed.

Little things like the one she was enjoying at the moment weren't going to repeat themselves for her at Hogwarts. The idea of Teddy leaving school was affecting her more than she had predicted. But she was sure that even if they had never dared to cross the line between friends and something else she'd still miss Teddy horribly once he left. She wasn't worried about him, he would do just fine at any job or any place he went to. He was good with people, he made good relations everywhere he went without much effort. Most times he didn't try at all.

But Victoire, on the other hand, was the exact opposite. She was too intrinsic and most times she didn't feel the need to be accompanied, which was odd for a person with such a huge family and with two rather loud brothers. Maybe that was just it, she appreciated more than anybody else her lonely moments. She wasn't much of a friend magnet, especially because ever since she was little, she had the ability of coming up with too many twisted ideas and experiments for other kid's likings. The only ones who ever put up with her pace where Evelyn and Teddy.

She remembered, vividly, what it had been like the first time Teddy left, when he went away for his first year at Hogwarts and came back with interesting stories and the many names of the people he had met. It took her a while, but she grew to accept that the two years of distance between them were going to show considerably from then on.

Now, it was somehow terrifying that the same thing could happen to them. He was entering a new stage of his life, without her, and there was nothing she could do to ease the process. She couldn't help feeling left behind for a second time.

"Aren't you?" Teddy asked.

"What?" she said thrown off.

"Aren't you glad that you're OWLS are almost over?" he asked again. She bit her lip, feeling the hole that was building up in her stomach.

"Yes, I'm delighted," she answered, her voice dryer than it should have been. Teddy opened his eyes slowly.

"What is it?" he asked, his voice serious.

"Nothing..."

"If you did a bigger effort at lying, I would believe you," he said, his brown eyes looking deeply into hers. He raised his hand, and pushed away softly the long strings of hair that hung from her head, and that were blocking his sight. "Come on, just say it," he said softly.

"It's nothing...it's just you, the end of the year, the fact that you're leaving." His expression changed into a more concerned one.

"Oh, that little thing..." he said solemnly. He took his raised hand and brushed his fingers on the surface of her cheek. "I'll go, but nothing has to change between us," he promised, but Victoire raised her eyebrow, and he twisted his mouth in an apologetic expression.

"Like you could help it, Teddy. You're going to be busy...distracted. You'll have that job at the Daily Prophet—"

"—I still don't know if I'm getting that. I won't know until I get the results to my Newts." Victoire let out a small but sarcastic laugh.

"Like they'll pass on you. That's just a formality. You'll get the job, get occupied, meet new people..." she sighed strongly. "...and you'll fall in love with some geeky journalist and dump me. And I'll be stuck here for another two years," she said bitterly. Teddy widened his eyes.

"That's quite a picture," he said, doing his best at showing his serious face, but Victoire spotted him containing his laughter. She wrinkled her nose and stuck the tip of her tongue at him. She then looked up at the lake, trying to contain her poor humour, but his fingers grabbed her chin and drove her face down, back at his direction.

"Tell me something, one thing..."said Teddy, brushing her lips with the back of his thumb. "Why would I trade you for a geeky journalist?"

"Because..." she said, kissing lightly his thumb. "...you're an idiot."

"What—why am I an idiot?" he asked, seeming insulted.

"It's all hypothetical, Teddy," she answered innocently.

"Oh, I get it. So, you're hypothetically mad at me for hypothetically trading you for a hypothetical woman?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

"That's right...hypothetically."

"You're nuts."

"I am not! It could happen!"

"Well, is it going to happen?" he asked.

"That's pretty much up to you."

"I see..." he said, pretending to be giving the subject an awful amount of concentration. "Well, it depends..."

"Depends on what?"

"What is this geeky journalist like?" he asked smirking. Victoire opened her eyes widely, her mouth fell open. With strict strength she pushed his head away from her lap and made him fall on the grass harshly. Teddy complained about the fall, but he didn't stop laughing as he grabbed his head with both hands to ease the pain. Victoire rolled her eyes and looked at the lake again, wondering if the giant squid would be kind enough to grab Teddy and take him away for the rest of the evening.

"Victoire, I was obviously joking."

"_Obviously_..." she repeated with sarcasm.

"Come on…look at me," he said, but she refused to take her sight away from the water. She felt him sitting on the grass, so close to her that his arm and leg brushed hers.

"Leave it…" she mumbled.

"Vic…" he said, caressing her cheek with his warm hand.

"No, stop it," she complained, moving her face away.

"Hey, you brought it up!"

She turned around for a second to throw him a killing stare, but said nothing.

"Hey..." he said once he grabbed her face with both of his hands, and forced her to keep her sight on his. "Who could I possibly trade you in for?" he asked, this time serious, bringing her face closer to his and ignoring her poor attempt of releasing herself. "Hell…you're everything..." he whispered closely to her lips. The corner of Victoire's mouth twisted into a smile. She didn't give it much thought; she simply shortened the distance between them to touch his lips with hers, trying not to think of how hard it would be not being able to kiss him every time she felt like it, which was...most of the time they spent alone. He separated their lips for a second. "...and a little bit more," he concluded smiling before he silenced himself to resume his lead on the kiss.

After a very short minute she was the one who brought a strong intensity to the movement of their lips, an intensity that made his breathing increase in a matter of seconds. He held her face tightly with one hand; as he drove the other one down to settle it firmly on her waist. Victoire didn't measure, as usual, the strength she was using to tilt herself against him, and a moment later her weight made them both fall on the grass, him on his back. At first, he didn't let the suggesting position stop them, if anything he took advantage of it to tighten his grip, and bring his chest against hers. But it was a matter of seconds, as Victoire had predicted, before he pushed her face away slowly, and somewhat regretfully.

"This is not the place..." he whispered, catching his breath. He kissed her chin, drawing a line across her jaw. Victoire still didn't know if she either loved or hated his contradicted dispositions.

"No place is the right place..." she complained. "Or the right moment," she added bitterly. Victoire felt Teddy chuckling against her skin.

"One of us has to keep it together," he answered, reaching the corner of her ear with his lips. "Sometimes I wish I could count on you for that, but since I don't..."

"Urgh... You're impossible," she replied, closing her eyes. She could feel him smiling against her skin. She couldn't avoid trembling when he kissed softly the hidden spot between her jaw and the beginning of her neck. That was more than what she could handle at the moment. "Not the neck..." she ordered faintly. Teddy chuckled, and kissed her lips softly for a short moment.

He breathed deeply and sighed before he pushed her up gently so she could sit back on the grass, and he followed the action. She cleansed his hair gently, to remove the grass that was stuck in it, and as her fingers wondered through his locks, he changed them from black to light blue. Victoire didn't restrain a chuckle.

She was tired of thinking just how much she was going to miss him, obsessing about something that was going to take place in another couple of months. But it was impossible not to think of it when he kept doing so many things worth missing.

"Victoire!" said a sharp voice in the distance. Evelyn was running towards the couple, and Victoire sighed acknowledging that Evelyn's appearances were always enough to put an end to their private moments. "Finally," she said as she reached them. "I've been looking everywhere for you." After five years of friendship, Evelyn still didn't understand that whenever Victoire disappeared it was because she didn't want to be found. "You have my Potions' guidelines."

"Oh! That's right. I'm sorry!" she realized, reaching for her bag and getting Evelyn's parchments out. She handed them to the girl, who took them gladly, but to Victoire's surprise she sat next to her and Teddy.

"What are you..." she asked.

"You don't mind if we review this right now, do you Ted?" questioned Evelyn.

"No, that's alright," he said sincerely. Victoire was the one who opened her eyes and gestured with her head to her friend.

"I thought we were studying potions _tonight_," she said, her teeth clenching.

"Never mind that Victoire, I never get time with you anymore since you hooked up with _him_," she said, pointing at Teddy as if he were out of the conversation.

"Hey, I'm right here..." he said, pretending to be insulted.

"Oh, nothing personal. I love you and all, but you're kind of stealing her away from me."

"That's not true!" Victoire retorted.

"It is! I never know where you are. I might as well be another roommate to you."

"Evelyn!" exclaimed Victoire surprised. She was about to bring up all the times Evelyn had ditched her in the past to go after a guy, but Teddy's sudden laugh made her turn her head at her boyfriend. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing..." he said smiling widely. "Just of what I've always told you. Ravenclaws really are control freaks," he said laughing again. "You people have to make sure you have everything under control, and then you're happy."

"That is not true!" said Victoire.

"Actually..." interrupted Evelyn. "We kind of are..." she said thoughtfully.

"Evelyn!"

"Yes, I mean, take it from my parents..." said the brunette girl. "Complete control freaks. But, anyway, that's not the point. The point is that I'm right. You're stealing her away, Ted. And what is she going to do once you leave her?" questioned Evelyn, sounding as wise as she could, and raising her thin, black eyebrow. Now it was Victoire the one feeling left out of the conversation, like she wasn't there at all.

"I'm not leaving her," answered Teddy firmly.

"Physically, you are," said Evelyn, opening her parchment, and getting a quill out of her bag, before spreading herself on the grass. Teddy glanced sadly at Victoire, who felt the familiar emptiness returning to her stomach. He took her hand tightly, and then leaned forward and kissed the corner of her lips, somehow apologizing for something that hadn't happened yet, which lead her to fake a smile, and return the tight grip of his hand.

"Is that Ted?" said the voice of Bob, from the distance.

"Of course it's Ted, who else do you know with blue hair in this school?" retorted the voice of Claire.

Teddy sighed as he saw his three friends approaching. With Evelyn sitting comfortably next to them and with the union of the new company, Victoire noticed that now it was Teddy the one resigning to the conclusion of their alone time.

"Mate, you can certainly hide well," said Jack, as he threw his broom and bag to the ground, before sitting down himself. Teddy shrugged and raised his eyebrows. "What? Don't tell us we're interrupting something. Evelyn's here," he pointed out and then looked at the girl before smiling in her direction. Evelyn, who was lying on the grass writing something on her parchment, looked up at the boy and gave a small, but suggestive smile back.

"Look!" said Claire excited, showing Teddy a piece of muggle newspaper. Parts of its writing were surrounded by black circles. "My aunt sent me this. There are plenty of great flats to rent in London. But I can't afford them by myself," she said.

"I told you, I'd move in with you," said Bob, sounding annoyed.

"And I told you that you are a mess, besides you probably won't pay the rent on time," she said seriously. "Come on, Ted!" Victoire raised her eyebrow at the girl's suggestion.

"Nah, I don't think so. I'll stay with my Grand for a couple of months. I'll go flat hunting later."

"Don't make me move in with Bob!" she begged, ignoring the annoyed sounds Robert was making by her. "Besides, we still couldn't afford it between the two of us. We need you, Ted."

"What about Jack?" suggested Victoire.

"Hasn't Ted told you?" Jack questioned, Victoire shook her head. "The Ballycastle Bats want me!" he said, bringing his hands to his chest. "So, I'll probably be moving around during training. They're pretty strict with beginners."

"That's great!" congratulated Victoire.

"Impressive..." said Evelyn softly, raising her eyes again from her parchment. Jack didn't miss the chance to smirk at the girl again.

"Do you really have to flirt with _him_?" Victoire whispered to Evelyn, once her eyes were off Jack.

"He's cute," answered Evelyn simply with a shrug, before returning to her writing.

Victoire shook her head in disapproval. "Claire, what are you doing after Hogwarts?" she then asked.

"Well, there's a healing program opening at St. Mungus. I'll apply once I get my Newts. But that means lots of night shifts, and I'm not going to put up with my parent's bickering during the first year, too much pressure. So, Ted? What do you say? Look: three bedrooms, chimney, and _park view_!" she insisted, showing Ted the piece of newspaper. Teddy shook his head.

"Maybe later..."he said.

"The flat won't be available later," she said before turning to Bob. "I guess it's you and me..."

"Not with _that_ enthusiasm," Bob retorted.

"You'd move in with a girl?" whispered Victoire to Teddy's ear, very softly, to make sure nobody heard her but him.

"It's Claire," he shrugged, whispering back. "She's one of us. But I'd rather live alone...why?"

"Oh, nothing. It's just...it's a girl."

"So what? Oh, are you jealous of Claire?" he whispered teasingly.

"What! No! I was just saying that—"

"—Look at you all jealous! It's cute and all!" he said, grabbing her chin.

"Shut up. I'm not!" she insisted.

"You are..." he said laughing out loud. The four people who were sitting around them looked at the couple with expectation.

"Teddy!" she exclaimed loudly, slapping his shoulder. Teddy coughed softly, but controlled his mocking laugh within the next seconds.

"Mate...she still calls you Teddy?" interrupted Bob, sounding seriously concerned. Claire looked up from the muggle newspaper and shook her head at Bob.

"Of course…why?" Teddy asked.

"I thought she'd change the nickname by now, I mean if my girlfriend called _me _Bobby…I don't know, sounds like a huge turn off."

"Oh my…" Claire shut her eyes tightly for a moment, faking patience. "Bob, why don't you get a girlfriend first and _then_ you can worry about what she calls you," she demanded. Victoire and Ted laughed at the same time.

"You're one to talk," Bob retorted.

"The only reason I don't have a boyfriend is because the three of you scare them away!" she complained. Victoire silently agreed to that. She was sure that no guy on his right mind would hit on a girl who was always surrounded by three other men. "Here's another one. It doesn't have a view but it has two bedrooms, and it's not very expensive," Claire continued, as she studied the options the wrinkled newspaper offered.

"Now, seriously Victoire," Bob spoke again. "What does Ted call you? _Vicky_?" he mocked. Victoire laughed but the following gesture of her face showed just how much that particular nickname revolted her.

"Ah! Bob, would you shut up already? Stop messing with Ted's girl…" Jack demanded, throwing his bag at Bob. The bag hit the boy's head harshly, and once a couple of swears fell off his mouth, he threw the bag as hard as he could back at Jack.

_Ted's girl_. Victoire would never get tired of being called that way by Teddy's friends. She hadn't considered it before, but that was another thing she had gotten accustomed to during the last months. At some point of the ride it stopped being just Evelyn and her. Now, it was also his friends the ones who made her days slightly different. Lately, her moments were composed by Bob's weird conversation topics, Evelyn and Jack flirting at every corner, Claire mothering them all, and a lot of Teddy. Their gatherings usually always ended the same way, the first person to lose his patience would throw something at Bob.

All that thinking wasn't doing her any good. In the positive side, summer was about to kick in, and she'd have two full months of all the things she was growing so fond of...even if in the end that was going to make the separation even harder.

Victoire buried her face in Teddy's chest, which was insanely warm, due to the gentle rays of the afternoon sun that were hitting his body. He pressed her face gently against his shirt. The voices of the ones surrounding them were fading away to her. She closed her eyes once she felt him kissing her hair softly. Why obsess so much when right now she had absolutely everything? She decided then to give her thoughts a rest, and enjoy the warm afternoon.

_--_

_A/N: I confess that I had a lot of fun with this chapter. A bit of fluff and random teenage talk, mixed with a sixteen year old's worries, and it's all going somewhere, by the way. I hope you keep sharing your thoughts with me! _

_Artist: Michael Bublé_


	20. Kingdom Come

**Till Kingdom Come**

_September 1__st__, 2016_

_--_

The grey thick layer of fog ambushed Teddy's eyes, hot and somehow suffocating. He walked by the side of James, who didn't stop asking questions with every step they took. Teddy didn't realize he was answering them with simple nods and an occasional yes or no, until the kid was standing in front of him with his expectant eyes.

"So... is there, Teddy? Is there really a giant still living in the forbidden forest?"

Teddy grinned, he was sure it had been Ron the one to put that idea in James' head. Teddy never saw such a thing during his seven years of school, but he had to admit that the rough sounds that occasionally came from the forest at night couldn't possibly belong to an animal, they had to belong to a enormously big magical creature.

"I'll tell you what James, a lot of things you've heard aren't true…but most of Hogwarts' myths are there for a reason," he gave out wisely. James frowned while looking up at Teddy, clearly expecting a much better answer than that one.

But Teddy, whose eyes had been scanning King Cross with careful detail, didn't let James continue the interrogation. He turned to Harry and Ginny.

"Uncle Harry I—"

"—That's alright Teddy, go find her," said Harry, who was holding Lily in his arms.

Teddy was about to offer himself to put James' trunk on the train until he spotted Ron and Hermione approaching with Rose and Hugo. He remembered then that they had arranged to come and see their godson off to his first year at Hogwarts, and decided to take advantage of the moment to find in the crowd the person he was looking for.

He walked through families, owl cages and trunks, before he stood in his place to check the clock that hung on the wall of the platform. It was a quarter to eleven. How come she wasn't there yet?

"Did you lose something?" said a soft voice near his ear. He smiled, but didn't turn around.

"Actually, yes. I'm looking for a girl…" he answered to the voice that was behind him.

"What's she like? Maybe I can help."

"Oh, she's…stunning, really. Stands out in any crowd. But don't tell my girlfriend. I'm doing my best at avoiding _her." _Teddy's shoulder was smacked with a sharp piece of wood, he was sure it was Victoire's wand. He turned around quickly. "You know, you're getting more aggressive by the week…" he complained, with a grin, before wrapping his hands around Victoire's waist. The girl smiled softly. "What took you so long?" he asked her.

"Dominique…" she said simply. "Also, Louis had a small panic attack before we left the house." Victoire slid her hands behind his neck, which encouraged him to tighten his grasp on her. He leaned his head down with enthusiasm, to reach the surface of her lips as fast as possible, but stopped halfway when somebody cleared his throat behind him. Bill and Fleur had reached the couple, along with Dominique and Louis.

"What if I don't like it? What if I want to come back? Would they let me out? Will I be able you talk to you through Floo Powder? What If I'm not sorted into Ravenclaw? Maybe I should go to Beauxbatons instead!" Louis was talking to his mother fast. Fleur kneeled down, biting her lips with worry for the departure of her only son. After she fixed his already perfect silver hair and mumbled a few words in French to him, Bill took the lead to try to calm the boy down.

"I see what you meant about the panic attack," whispered Teddy to Victoire. Dominique patted her foot impatiently against the floor and shook her head.

"You must be the only boy to ever freak out about going to Hogwarts," she said to her brother.

Teddy gazed up at the big clock of the platform. Ten minutes to eleven. He turned around and gestured with his head to Victoire. The girl nodded and with a quick kiss and hug she said goodbye to her parents. She grabbed Metis' cage and walked with Teddy away from her family.

They walked with an uncommon silence. Teddy had anticipated the feeling of absence he was getting, but he knew it would widen itself as soon as she set foot on that train. When they stopped he turned to face her, Victoire's deep blue eyes were set on his, expecting him to say the first words.

Teddy slowly reached her free hand with his. He held it tightly for a moment and contemplated their fingers interlacing perfectly. When he let go of her hand he brushed the surface of her skin with the tip of his fingers, slowly up her arm, to the side of her neck, across her cheek and finally settling on her pink lips.

He wasn't capable of saying goodbye at the moment; he wasn't capable of letting her go. Everybody around him was moving particularly fast. The wizards, the kids, the trunks being pulled in all directions, the chattering, the yelling, the grey smoke that was getting thicker, the hands of the clock; they all seemed to be going at a pace that Teddy couldn't keep up with. His hands touched her slowly, pretending there was enough time to spare. What he needed was to freeze everything that surrounded him, what he needed was for everything to stop at five to eleven.

He leaned down again and embraced her firmly as he kissed her, his hands tightening her face. Victoire didn't hesitate; she let go of Metis' cage and wrapped her hands around his waist, grabbing his jacket firmly. He had to breathe in deeply before separating their lips, making sure their faces remained as close as possible. The short distance allowed him to breathe the cool scent of her skin, but specially the chamomile of her hair.

"I really don't want to get on that train," she whispered sadly, pressing her lips together before she looked down. Teddy sighed and forced himself to a small smile. Even if she was the one leaving that morning, he couldn't stop feeling bad for being the one who was moving on without her, and the fact of having to do this all over again next year wasn't making it any better.

He was a man of determined decisions. At his young age he knew who he wanted to be, he wanted above all things to be an investigative journalist; he knew what he wanted to do for a living, he wanted –and was going- to work at the Daily Prophet; and now he knew who he wanted to be with, he wanted Victoire and that was final. He would wait unconditionally for her return this year and the next, he was certain of that, but his head couldn't stop questioning if she was willing to do the same. Two years seemed like an awful lot of time for a sixteen year old, even when she claimed that she was more mature than he gave her credit for. In spite of their age difference being "ridiculously small", as she liked to put it, Teddy couldn't stop seeing her as a young girl, with a wild heart and an unpredictable spirit.

He knew it was too soon and too rushed to be thinking of a future with her, but he wouldn't stop imagining it. He was determined by now that Victoire was the only thing he wasn't willing to give up. And that was the reason it was so insanely hard to let her get on one of those wagons, because as much as she claimed that she loved him, he wasn't going to stop admitting that she was nothing more than a girl.

He knew she'd kill him if she heard what he was thinking at the moment. She always hated his overprotective attitude, especially now, because according to her, two years was not enough for him to feel that much older than her. But Teddy had always felt years ahead his own age.

He looked at her sad eyes and encouraged himself to speak, to bring at least some comfort to the situation.

"It'll be fine," he lied. "It's only a couple of months till Christmas, and we'll see each other every time you go to Hogsmade," he said, his throat dry and rough.

She shook her head and sighed. "Still…I hate this," she retorted bitterly. Teddy chuckled quietly.

"What are you worrying about?" he asked, faking calmness. "You'll come back…_right_?" he asked mockingly, raising his eyebrow.

"Right…" she mumbled as she chuckled.

"_Alone_…" he pointed out.

"Of course!" her eyes widened. Teddy swallowed hard and held her hand with his to inspect it for a few seconds.

"You won't have some git attached to this hand of yours?" he demanded, placing her soft palm against the skin of his face. The simple idea of a guy taking advantage of Teddy's absence to hit on Victoire made his temper flip instantly. He had no doubt that someone was going to try to make a move on her at Hogwarts.

"Of course not! As long as you don't dump me first..." she said frowning, Teddy laughed. He couldn't believe she wasn't capable of seeing just how crazy he was about her. He was sure he was far too obvious.

"Then…there's nothing to worry about," he promised, pressing his lips against the palm of her hand. He gazed down at her neck and smiled once he contemplated the locket he gave her for Christmas, and that held inside a small picture of them together. He admired the way it rested on her chest.

Victoire turned her head away from his, shutting her eyes tightly for a moment. When she opened them she contemplated something in the distance.

"Look..." she said to him. Teddy turned his head to follow the direction of her eyes and saw Jack embracing Evelyn, both immersed into a kiss somewhat passionate. Teddy laughed softly.

"That git didn't tell me he was coming," he said.

"I guess we'll have to get used to the idea of our friends dating each other," said Victoire.

"I don't know...I give them a month..." he said. Victoire gave him a very unfriendly look.

"That's unfair Teddy. They could be like us," she pointed out.

"I'm not Jack. And I certainly hope you're nothing like Evelyn," he said wisely. Victoire tried to restrain her laugh, but failed in the process.

Teddy's stomach flipped when the train made the loud, strong and irreversible sound that meant it was eleven o'clock. Victoire threw her arms around him impulsively. They hugged firmly and silently for a while.

"Say it..." she begged to his ear.

"I'll miss you," he said, his voice breaking.

"The other thing..." she whispered. He tightened his grip around her waist, and placed his mouth close to her ear.

"I love you," he said softly, ignoring that she was too insecure of him to be the first one to say it.

"I love you too." She kissed the corner of his mouth, but Teddy moved his face quickly to catch the taste of her lips.

The train made another loud sound, Victoire kissed him more intently before separating their mouths.

"Be good," he said, smiling poorly. Victoire rolled her eyes.

"I'm always good..." she retorted with a fake and innocent voice, her hand still refusing to let go of him.

When their fingers stopped touching, she was able to pick Metis' cage and walk into the wagon. She looked back at him for a moment before disappearing inside of it. Teddy held his breath and stood still on the floor of the platform, like every other relative that was there.

Once the wheels began to move, at first slowly and then very fast, motion came back to the bodies that surrounded him. Everybody had a life to get back to, but Teddy felt that a big part of his own life was taking off on the train that was turning around the corner. For the rest of the day, Teddy felt he had absolutely nowhere to go to.

--

_A/N: Dedicated to everyone who has__ had a long distance relationship. Damn hard, isn't it?_

_Sorry for the short chapter! I didn't want to over due the scene.  
_

_I adore this song, and since it's pretty perfect for Teddy I'm copying the lyrics for those who have not heard it before. _

_Artist: Coldplay_

_--_

Steal my heart and hold my tongue.

I feel my time, my time has come.

Let me in, unlock the door.

I've never felt this way before.

The wheels just keep on turning,

The drummer begins to drum,

I don't know which way I'm going,

I don't know which way I've come.

Hold my head inside your hands,

I need someone who understands.

I need someone, someone who hears,

For you, I've waited all these years.

For you, I'd wait 'til kingdom come.

Until my day, my day is done.

And say you'll come, and set me free,

Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me.

In your tears and in your blood,

In your fire and in your flood,

I hear you laugh, I heard you sing,

"I wouldn't change a single thing."


	21. From Me to You

**From Me to You**

_A/N: So, __I know this is quite different from the rest of the chapters but I had too much fun writing it to hold it back. I felt I had to publish it for many reasons. I'm making a slight fast-forward after this. Enjoy! And Please review afterwards. _

**--**

_February__ 19, 2017 _

_8:00 pm_

_Dear Teddy, _

_Things are pretty dull here at school. Not much to tell, at least in my year. But guess what? Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw during yesterday's game. Not that I care much but Dominique did score most of the winning points, so I believe I have to brag about my little sister's accomplishments! She's incredibly proud of herself, you should see her. Louis was red with anger, though. He claims that once he makes the team next year, he's going to be Ravenclaw's best defence. My only worry is that I'm afraid I'm going to have to put up with them when that explodes. _

_I have__ to go, _

_Love, _

_Victoire_

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 20__, 2017 6:30 am_

_Dear Vic__, _

_I can't say the same. Things are crazy around here.__ The editor gave me more shorts stories to cover than I can handle, but I'm not complaining though, more stories mean more writing, even if my stuff still appears on the last page, next to the story of the old witch with the crazy amount of owls in her house. _

_Oh, and I'm glad__ for Dominique. I'll write her when I get the chance. By the way, I'm also glad I won't be there to witness your brothers' rivalry. If they are anything like you...and I know they are... _

_On another topic... I've been thinking a lot lately, and I've come to the conclusion that I __have__ to see you before Easter week. You don't have any more visits to Hogsmade and I don't think it's healthy to wait that long._

_Your dearest, _

_Ted_

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 20__, 2017 7:45 am_

_Dear Teddy, _

_I'm not sure what you meant by the 'if they are anything like __you...' bit, but I'll ignore it because this was what really caught my attention from your last letter: 'Your dearest'?... What was that? You read that somewhere, didn't you? Because that amount of fluff can't come from your mouth._

_I think you're privileged for a__ppearing in the paper, even if it's next to the owl lady. I've noticed they're giving you more space, by the way. Soon you might even get a picture! And it won't be long until one of your stories makes the front page, you'll see! _

_And to the point: I couldn't agree with you more. If you have to see me, then the least I can do is cooperate. So...any suggestions? _

_Love, _

_Victoire_

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 2__0, 2017 9:15 am_

_My d__ear of dearest's,_

_Yes__, I read it in some novel that was lying around, and I knew you'd love it. _

_Actually, I'm glad we're finding a way to see each other in a place different than Hogsmade, because, it's getting kind of repetitive having to meet at the same shops, same pubs and...same alleys..._

_L__et's just say we know every corner of Hogsmade rather well by now. I'm sort of blank on the suggestions, though. _

_Love, _

_Ted Remus L__upin –sounds classy, doesn't it?-_

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 2__0, 2017 12:00 m_

_Teddy, I'm having problems with the word __'dear' now that you're over using it, so thanks for that. If you're going to read romance novels now, then at least use the enticing, seductive bits...not the over rated name fluff._

_I'm glad as well. And, if__ you're getting bored of seeing me in the same places, then that calls for an urgent meeting! I wouldn't want to bore Ted Remus Lupin (try not to wear it out)._

_Love, _

_Victoire_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 20__, 2017 2:00 pm _

_My beloved dear Victoire,_

_Are you being sarcastic with me?_

_Ted__ Remus Lupin_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 20__, 2017 6:30 pm_

_Teddy, (I beg y__ou...quit calling me dear, dearest __or__ beloved, I'm starting to feel like an old made)_

_I am not being sarcastic at all, I swear. __I was being very serious, actually. I am far more interested in entertaining you- in a way of your preference- than in boring you..._

_Do. Believe. Me. _

_Love, _

_Victoire_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 2__1, 2017 11:30 am_

_Victoire, _

_Sorry It took me long to answer. But...I almost couldn't process your last note. You see...the image of you...entertaining me... is sort of messing with my head now and..._

_You know what? Turns out that I still haven't processed your last note._

_Love, _

_Speechless._

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 2__1, 2017 6:00 pm_

_Dear Speechless, _

_Good. That was the point..._

_But g__uess what...I got detention today... I opened your note at the beginning of Charms and Professor Slade caught me smirking like an idiot at the piece of parchment. But that wasn't the worst part, she took it off my hands and read it to the class, and then gave me detention for being very (and I quote): "generally incorrect". I mean...I didn't even write it! To top it all she took 15 points off my house...seems a bit drastic if you ask me. That woman has it against me... _

_A__nd, by the way, everybody from Charms asked me to say hi to Mr. Speechless..._

_On the positive side...__Today I got two Outstandings! One on my Astronomy map and the other one on my Arithmancy chart! That was enough to bring my spirit up after Charms._

_But, returning to the main topic, w__e're not getting anywhere with this teasing around. Metis is getting sick of delivering these. She's been giving me her evil eye. Places? Ideas? A public place? Or a private one? My visiting places are quite limited, but you know that. I would suggest the Astronomy Tower...but I don't feel like filling a spot you used to fill with some other girl... _

_Go to go to detention, _

_Love,_

_Victoire_

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February__ 21, 2017 9:00 pm_

_Dear Victoire,_

_My __brainy, yet generally incorrect girl can't miss a detention now and then, can she? Leave some for the others..._

_I __can't say how much I would have loved to see your face getting all red when Professor Slade read that note to the class. _

_By the way, it gets harder every day to write to you from the office, my boss began to notice Metis flying around here every two hours, and he's not happy about it. The solution? Simple, we'll switch owls for a while. I'll write to you with the ones at the Prohpet. By the way, tell your classmates that Mr. Speechless says hello..._

_A public place? Are you kidding me? No...definitely a private one._

_About t__he Astronomy tower: First of all...how I'm I supposed to get to the Astronomy Tower? Second...as much as you love to torture me with that, I __know__ that you used to sneak in there as well...and __I know__ who it was with. One day you'll come clean...in the mean time...I think I have a good place where we can meet, and I can't believe I never thought of it before. _

_Love, _

_Almost desperate._

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February __22, 2017 7:00 am _

_Dear Almost (why__ is it almost and not completely?) desperate, _

_About the __Astronomy Tower...If you don't have evidence then you have nothing..._

_What's the place? Say it! We've been owling each other with this subject enough already._

_Love, _

_Victoire_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 22__, 2017 9:30 am_

_Dear__ Victoire, _

_Curious much? Take a guess._

_Love, _

_Almost desperate (It's a process really, that's why it's just almost)_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 22__, 2017 12:30 pm_

_Dear still almost desperate, _

_I'm not guessing anything. Tell me. _

_Love, _

_Victoire_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_Feb__ruary 22, 2017 3:00 pm_

_Dear Victoire,_

_You're loads of fun...aren't you? If you won't take a guess then maybe we should just see each other when you come home for Easter...in the comfort of your house or the quiet, lonesome place that is The Burrow. _

_Love, _

_Ted_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 22__, 2017 6:30 pm_

_Dear Teddy, _

_Alright! Alright! ...I want to say...The Shrieking Shack..._

Love,

_Victoire_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February __22, 2017 8:00 pm_

_Dear Victoire, _

_Damn…you're good with the guessing. Then again, you're visiting places are limited, as you said. So…when?_

_Love, _

_Now __desperate_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 22__, 2017 9:45 pm_

_Dear now desperate,_

_Let's end this once and for all. _

_Tomorrow__ night, around 9:30. That way I'll get to finish my rounds._

_Love, _

_Eager already..._

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 22__, 2017 11:15 pm_

_Dear eager already, _

_I'm guessing I'm going to like this meeting… _

_Love, _

_Ted_

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 23__, 2017 1:07 am _

_Dear Ted__dy, _

_You're good with the guessing…_

_In__ the mean time, sleep well…if you can sleep at all, that is._

_Love, _

_Victorie_

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_February 23__, 2017 2:50 am_

_Victoire Weasley, _

_You're just cruel…_

_Love, _

_Ted_

_--_

_--_

_Artist: The Beatles _


	22. Friday, I'm in love

_A/N: Thank you so much for the feedback of the last chapter! I loved all of your reviews! _

**Friday, I'm in Love**

_February 24, 2017_

_--_

"Where are you going?" asked Evelyn, sneaking her head out of the curtains of her bed.

"Rounds...of course," answered Victoire plainly, as she checked herself one more time in the mirror.

"Since when do you wear perfume to do your rounds?" said the girl, raising her eyebrow while she lifted the corner of her lip to turn her smile into a smirk. Victoire raised her eyes and looked at Evelyn through the mirror, but said nothing. "Your hair looks fine," said the girl again, gazing at their other roommates, who were sitting in a bed, submerged in a private conversation.

Victoire ignored Evelyn one more time, but didn't restrain her own smile. She turned and walked to the door. "See you later," she said.

"Sure...say hi to Ted for me..." replied Evelyn with faked innocence. Victoire froze under the doorframe. She turned to the other two girls, and when she confirmed that they hadn't paid any attention to Evelyn's big mouth, she turned to her own friend again.

"_Shut up,"_ she articulated. Evelyn shrugged, amplifying her smirk.

--

Victoire walked out of her common room, a few minutes late for rounds. Her delay was small and she thought it didn't justify the annoyed face of her prefect partner when she reached him.

"Finally!" complained Michael.

"What's wrong?" asked Victoire, as she rushed down the spiral stairways of her common room.

"We are missing three first years," he explained obnoxiously. "Professor Cadwell sent us to look for them," he said as he turned to walk. Victoire widened her eyes instantly.

"What? But I—"

Michael turned back to interrupt her"—what? You have somewhere else to go to?" he mocked. Victoire shook her head and glared at her watch, which informed that it was a quarter to nine. She sighed and encouraged him to split up and look for the missing kids.

Victoire moved on her side of the castle, going through every empty classroom she could find, and opening every storeroom she ran into. At first she had imagined that it couldn't be very hard to find three eleven year olds, no matter how big the castle was. They were first years, they didn't even know Hogwarts that well, and even better, they were scared of teachers, prefects and head boys, which meant that they were bound to do as she told them once she found them.

But soon it was nine forty-five and nothing.

She searched in the Astronomy Tower carefully, but when she came down ten more minutes had passed and she had found absolutely nothing. She ran into Michael twice, to find him empty handed as well. She even ran into Jocelyn Spine, Ravenclaw's Head girl, who did nothing but encourage her to look better for the boys. It was twenty minutes past ten and Victoire was empty handed and in one of her worst moods ever.

She had come to think it was a lost cause, and that maybe the kids weren't even inside the castle to begin with, maybe they were stuck outside and scared to death. Victoire set her back against the wall. She had just searched in the Great Hall and wound up in one of the lonely corridors close to the dungeons. She figured that she might as well write to Teddy, although she wasn't sure that Metis would be able to find her way inside the Shrieking Shack. Then she realized that Teddy might even have left by now.

When Victoire looked up front, resting her head against the cold stone she spotted the big, yet ordinary painting of the bowl of fruits that led to Hogwarts' kitchens. She raised her eyebrow in realization and after feeling rather stupid for not thinking of it earlier, she tickled the pear on the painting until it giggled. When it turned into a door handle she strongly wished that the three kids she was about to find got a proper detention for all the trouble they were causing her.

--

Victoire ran down the corridors, faster than before, checking the corners very carefully as she turned, gazing at her watch every five seconds to confirm that it was actually eleven o' clock.

"Damn..." she murmured anxiously as she reached Hogwarts' main door. She turned to both sides, checking that nobody was coming before she covered her head with her robes and walked into the night.

"Damn it," she murmured again, once she immobilized the Whomping Willow and entered the small, dark corridors of the Shrieking Shack. She ran among the wooden floors as fast as possible, went up the stairs and entered the only room in the place with a light turned on.

Victoire exhaled on the frame of the door, genuinely tired but mostly because of the huge relieve the sight of Teddy produced her.

"You're still here..." she whispered softly, panting for fresh air, the tone of her voice made him turn around instantly.

"Where the hell...what took you so long?" he asked, his face mortified, crossing the room in four steps. Once he reached her, Victoire locked the back of his neck with her hands to pull his face down eagerly. He returned her intensity when he kissed her, wrapping his hands around her waist to tighten her against him.

"I'm sorry..." she mumbled to his lips two or three times during the few moments they stopped to breathe. Teddy searched to keep the kiss alive, embracing her strongly towards himself. Everything fell perfectly into place for the next minute, until it was Teddy the one who separated them firmly. He breathed deeply, and the way he placed his hands on both sides of her face was enough for her to know that he was going to say something she didn't want to hear.

"I can't..." he said panting. "...I have to go."

Victoire felt the weight of his hands, as if he was holding her to prevent her from running away.

"You..._What_?" she shrieked, and Teddy didn't seem at all surprised.

"I'm sorry..." he said with a painful expression.

"You're joking..." she said with an ironic laugh. "You must be joking."

"Victoire, does it look like I'm joking?" he asked sternly. "I have to work tonight."

"What? Work? It's almost midnight! It's a Friday night and you have to _work_?" she asked severely upset, she released herself from his grip. He simply nodded. His steady, constant and calm behaviour upset her within seconds.

"I just ran through fifteen hallways looking for three hyperactive kids and it turns out you have to work?" she questioned. Victoire couldn't believe that of all nights that one had to be ruined.

"I didn't know I would have to work!" he said. Victoire felt a rush of blood rising up her face. She breathed deeply but that didn't wear her anger off.

"Who the hell works on a Friday night, anyway?" she asked impulsively.

"Apparently me," he shrugged before hitting ground with her question. "Wait a minute...you don't believe me..."

"I didn't say that—"

"—Give me a break, Victoire," he interrupted. "Why would I Lie to you?"

Victoire didn't give herself enough time to answer the question. If she would have talked with her senses in order then she would have said that there was no reason for him to lie to her. But, instead, she said the first thing her mind picked up.

"Well...last Friday you got out early enough to go to some pub with the guys of your office, and suddenly today you have to _work_?" she said impulsively. As she heard her own words coming out of her mouth she realized how ridiculous they were, but she couldn't help them. The only thing she understood well was how upset she was, even if she couldn't put her thoughts in order to analyze what was going on. Her lack of control of the situation made her speak her entire mind out, and that was never good if she wanted to avoid starting a fight.

"Oh right," he flipped as she had predicted. "You are absolutely right, Victoire. I would rather spend time with people I've known for a couple of months than with my girlfriend! A girlfriend whom I barely see, and whom I've barely been with..." he stopped to clear his throat. "...in the full concept of the sentence," he finished. Victoire looked at him, acknowledging that it was her turn to say something.

"I didn't mean to say you were lying..." she whispered gravely.

Teddy exhaled patiently before continuing. "Listen, I was practically walking out of the office when the editor turned my story down. I have to write it all over again and send it to print before I hit the deadline," explained Teddy, "and that's a few hours from now."

"Fine..." she said crossly. "I get it."

"Then why are you still so mad?" he asked, seeming desperate. Victoire gave him her best killer look, he should have been able to figure out that the problem wasn't his work, it was the lack of his presence _because_ of his work. "Besides, you can't blame it all on me. It took you almost two hours just to get here!"

"That wasn't my fault either! It escaped my hands!"

"Well, so does this..." he said firmly. "I have to go back there, Vic."

"Wonderful," she said dryly. "Just go then."

Victoire turned around and walked to the end of the bedroom. She sat on the brown armchair that was against the wall, exhaling as she sunk in the cushion. Teddy remained still on his spot, contemplating her, his face stern. Victoire looked at the torn walls instead of him. She knew perfectly well that the reason she was so upset was how uncontrollable those things were. The fact that it was nobody's fault made her hopelessly mad, and how cool Teddy handled the situation made her even more upset.

"What are you still doing here?" she asked strictly. Teddy rolled his eyes at her, and shook his head.

"I'm not leaving if you are going to behave like this..." he pointed out, his voice as serious as his own expression. Victoire said nothing, and after a few minutes of silence and of dealing with Teddy's steady stare she felt her sudden irritation beginning to cool down, and sensed an uncomfortable sadness taking over instead.

"This is ridiculous," she concluded. "It's not supposed to be this hard." She was sure that the silence that followed meant that Teddy felt the same way. He walked up to her and stood still for a minute. When Victoire looked up she noticed for the first time during that night just how tired Teddy seemed. He had arrived at the office very early that morning, as he always did and now he was still dealing with problems along the way. Victoire understood that she was becoming one of those problems.

"Hey, I didn't plan this. This isn't exactly what I had in mind for tonight," he said.

"Me neither," she murmured, looking down at the floor.

"I'm sorry..." he said quietly reaching her hand with his. She hesitated, but accepted his hand and Teddy pulled her up with one move, before embracing her waist.

"We'll have time to spend together," he said sympathetically, but Victoire was able to recognize a trace of bitterness in his voice.

"Sure..._tons_," she retorted sarcastically. Teddy chuckled as he tightened her against him.

"Cut it out," he said to her ear, before kissing her jaw line, tracing the way from her ear to her lips, making the skin of the back of her neck rise. "Honestly, cut it out. I'm not leaving until you change your attitude," he whispered.

Victoire raised her face a few inches, to catch the sight of his brown eyes, the only feature of himself he rarely changed, and she appreciated that, because to her his eyes had become the safest place to get lost in, and it only felt right when they were in their true colour. She placed her hands on both sides of his face and ran her fingers down his blue hair.

"Maybe I should stay mad all night..." she said softly. Teddy grinned before returning to her lips. The urgency of his kiss was enough to transform her poor temper into an entirely different feeling. But before losing her head to the euphoric feeling Teddy's hands produced her as they travelled up her back, she placed her hands on both sides of his face and this time she was the one to pull apart, softly and regretfully. "You should get going," she whispered, before exhaling.

"I might have thirty minutes or so in my favour...besides I can always just rephrase the entire thing. The editor won't notice," he said leaning down again, but Victoire stopped him halfway.

"No, you should go," she said. "Wait...thirty minutes?" she asked brightly. "That's not too bad...we can make the best out of it."

Teddy smirked but shook his head at her. "You know..." he said, "I think we're beginning to behave a bit—"

"—Eager? Overstressed? Desperate?" she asked, Teddy chuckled.

"Yes. There's no need for us to rush things again," he said patiently. Victoire knew what the word _again_ made reference to. During last Christmas they spent most of their time running away from everybody else, mainly because they couldn't get their hands off each other. She was the one to suggest the places, and Teddy played along. At this point of their relationship Victoire felt that her impulsiveness was the only thing she should follow, considering the little time they got to spend alone, and considering especially how easily their plans fell apart, and tonight was the best example of how hard it was to plan anything.

"Right. I know. I mean, we'll have time to...you know..." she admitted with poor enthusiasm.

"Yes, I know. That's what I'm saying..." he said, sounding frustrated.

"I mean, summer's not so far. Just four months away..." she said, keeping her real thoughts to herself, because four months seemed like an eternity. "In the mean time we'll just...keep seeing each other at Hogsmade..." she concluded, sighing in frustration.

"Four months," he repeated, absently, his voice suddenly dry. "We can wait four more months to..."

"—That's settled then!" sentenced Victoire with fake cheer. Teddy nodded, and while Victoire studied the torn wallpaper of the walls, Teddy glared at the floor. There wasn't much left to say for the upcoming minutes. Victoire released his embrace and walked a few steps backwards.

"Alright, I guess I'll see you...soon," she said awkwardly. Teddy looked at her firmly and nodded. She was sure there were words waiting to fall from his lips, but he was restraining them wisely. She truly wanted to know where he got the strength to play it cool, to keep it together all the time. She sighed in resignation, she would never be like him.

"We'll manage," he said then, sounding encouraging. "You'll see, we just have to get adjusted, that's all."

"Right..." Victoire turned around softly and walked with short steps in direction towards the door. It would be weeks before Easter, and months until the summer, but to top it all, the idea of having to go through this all over again next year when she came back to Hogwarts made her stop cold on the shrieking wood. She knew she couldn't feel content with a couple of visits to Hogsmade and one or two holidays. It didn't seem enough. She stood still and felt Teddy walking up to her and standing right behind her. He didn't touch her but it wasn't necessary. She bit her lip once she felt his body close to hers, sensing his breathing uneven and close to her neck.

"The only thing wrong with this plan..." she began all of a sudden, throwing away her last moment of common sense. "...is that if I have to wait four more months to..._be_ with you again I might go completely mad," she said.

"Thank god you said that," he said sounding, to her surprise, immensely relieved. He pulled her by the arm with urgency, turned her around in a fast move and brought her towards his body, allowing Victoire to stop worrying about being the impulsive one of the couple.

--

Artist: The Cure


	23. Chasing Cars

**Chasing Cars**

_October__ 28, 2017_

_-- _

The soft, cool breeze made Victoire zip her Jacket up. The wind blew her hair unevenly, as it lifted the golden leaves that Victoire loved to crush with her feet. When she was ten years old, she used to run barefoot across the orange grounds that surrounded Shell Cottage, almost dancing around the flying leaves. Autumns back at the cottage where even more beautiful and more sensorial than the ones at Hogwarts. The salty breeze and the wide dawns that got lost in the horizon above the sea, made the colours more intense, and much more real. She realized two things then: she had missed seven perfect autumns back at home, and this was going to be her last one at Hogwarts. Before walking down the road, Victoire stopped to gaze at the lake, the brownish forest and then she turned to glance at the immense castle. She had anticipated leaving school so much for the past two years that she wasn't sure of how she was going to feel when she actually left for good.

She didn't have anything planed for herself, she didn't even know what career path she was going to take, and the thought of walking out in the open without a decision, or without anything concrete was invading her thoughts.

"Dating day!" yelled Evelyn excited as she reached her, running fast, disturbing the leaves. Victoire chuckled before rolling her eyes at her. "Are you ready?" asked Evelyn.

"For what? Meeting with, Teddy? Of course I am," cleared out Victoire, as she began to walk her way to Hogsmade.

"Oh, come on! You really aren't going to do this one little favour for me?" Evelyn asked, giving her a pleading, sad face, one of her most rehearsed ones.

"No."

"Please Victoire, I really need this backup. Please! It will only be an hour…two tops," urged Evelyn, as she walked at Victoire's fast pace. "Then you can run off to Ted."

"For the last time, I won't! I'm supposed to meet him in twenty minutes. I barely see him anymore, and I'm not going to dump him for an hour so I can go on a double date with you! That's insane!" retorted Victoire. Evelyn stopped walking and restrained Victoire by holding her arm tightly.

"It is not a double date! It is just me going out with the most gorgeous man there is in this school, he's taking a back up and I'm taking you," she explained simply.

"Sounds like a double date…" said Victoire.

" Please…I really like this one," her friend insisted.

"You really like everyone! Every guy is the one!" Victoire scolded, regretting at that minute when she saw her friend's face changing into a stern expression. "I'm sorry Evelyn, but it's true. Remember Jack? You were sure that _he_ was the one." Evelyn raised her thin eyebrow before answering.

"Can we not talk about Jack?" she said with a dramatic tone of voice. Victoire shook her head, because the worst part about their brief dating episode and their traumatic breakup had been listening to Evelyn's monologues about how much she hated men. "...and I'm sorry if I won't condemn my youth to just one man, like somebody I know," she retorted.

"_Condemn? _That's not funny, Evelyn."

"Oh, come on! Please…"

"I'm sorry…I really can't…and I really won't."

"Fine…then I guess it'll be the three of us. That's cozy," said the girl sarcastically. Victoire laughed softly at the image and Evelyn merely shrugged in resignation.

"Just ask someone else," Victoire suggested.

"That's the point. I can't find anybody else. You know...your devotion towards Ted is beginning to freak me out. You adore him, as if he were a Greek god or something..."

Victoire chuckled. "Yes well, you should see him without a shirt," she said impulsively. "No, wait! I take that back. You should never see him without a shirt," she said, Evelyn was already laughing.

"Fine, I'll give you that. He's hot enough to be adored," Evelyn mocked. "Well...I guess I better go get ready for my super date. That poor guy is going to feel uncomfortable. Hey! Maybe I get to choose between the two!"

"Please, stop talking now," pleaded Victoire, shaking her head. "I'll see you later, then?" she asked.

"Sure…" Evelyn shrugged again, before Victoire turned to retake the path to Hogsmade.

On her way towards the town that had become the only place where she could hold a decent date with her boyfriend, Victoire couldn't stop the thoughts that had been invading her before. She loved Astronomy, mainly because of the many mysteries that were yet to be discovered, but was that what she was destined to do the rest of her life? Arithmancy was one of her best subjects too, but she wasn't sure if researching on the topic was her life goal. She didn't get how she could be so clueless about it. She had also considered Defence Against the Dark Arts, another subject that amused her to no end. But truth was that life out of school wasn't going to follow a specific subject, it wasn't that easy to figure out, at least not for her.

Victoire raised her head abruptly when she felt wings wiping over her head. She noticed an owl descending in her direction, and a torn sensation developed in her stomach.

The owl stood on her shoulder. Its brown feathers and yellow eyes seemed familiar, but the thing that confirmed her worries was the golden medal that hung from its neck. That owl could only belong to one place...

She took the small parchment that was tied to his leg and unfolded it.

_Victoire, _

_I can't believe I'm doing this to you…again. Some lunatic tried to break into Gringotts, and you can imagine how that turned out for him. Let's just say the Goblins are in the worst of moods today. The information just reached us and they sent me to cover the story. _

_I Am Really Sorry. You know that, right? I'll make it up._

_I'll write __you as soon as I get back. Got to run, _

_Love you, _

_Ted_

Victoire sighed strongly. She first folded the parchment carefully, and stuck it at the bottom of her pocket. She was as still as a log for a while, standing on the grass, listening to the wind breaking against her hair, deciding whether to keep walking forward or head back to the castle. The Daily Prophet's owl gave out a loud hoot and Victoire realized it was waiting for her to answer the letter. She took a small, clean parchment from the small bag that hung from the owl's leg, but after a few seconds of introspection, she ended up making a ball with the clean parchment. The owl gave her another hoot and Victoire wondered if he was mad for the waist of The Prophet's resources. The animal extended its leg again, offering her to take another parchment.

"Sorry…you're not delivering anything from me today," she said. In less than a second the owl flung its wings open and flew off her shoulder.

Victoire ended up walking forward, mostly out of the impulse of keeping her legs moving. She maintained a constant pace until she reached Hogsmade, where she kept walking, around the small stores and the short streets. She strongly wished that the town was bigger, because she wanted to walk until she was so exhausted that she could simply go back to the castle to throw herself on her bed until the next day.

When she had walked down the same street five times she found a bench to sit at, where she could mainly stare at the unoccupied visitors of the town, conformed mostly by Hogwarts' students.

"Meeting Ted here?" asked Evelyn. Victoire looked up and shook her head weakly at her best friend.

"No, no plans," she said discouraged.

"Oh…" Evelyn took a seat next to her and waited a couple of minutes before speaking.

"Work?" Evelyn asked.

"Yes," she whispered absently. Evelyn waited for another few seconds.

"Are you alright?" she asked then.

"I guess," answered Victoire shrugging. "I should be used to it, I suppose."

Evelyn nodded, and the two friends stared at the people that passed by for the next silent minutes.

"Did you know that Alice McBain has a boyfriend in London?" asked the girl all of a sudden. Victoire turned to her friend estranged, but soon she figured that Evelyn was probably trying to distract her. When Victoire looked up front she saw Alice McBain holding Michael Scott's hand, and giggling like a little girl to whatever he was saying.

"Isn't she dating Scott?" asked Victoire. Evelyn nodded and gave out a malicious grin.

"She's dating _both_ of them," she cleared out. "And apparently neither of them knows a thing. I bet it all blows up in her face this Christmas."

Victoire chuckled, but soon drove her attention to a dog that was playing with the fallen leaves, looking rather content with his share of entertainment.

"My point is..." said Evelyn. "...some people want it all, Victoire. Others actually have it. So...if your Greek god has to leave you waiting nowadays because he's working hard...then it's not really the end of the world, is it?" said Evelyn wisely, as she stood up from the bench.

Victoire raised her eyes at her friend, and a soft smiled managed to escape her lips.

"You really surprise me sometimes..." said Victoire.

"I know. That's because I'm the goddess of wisdom. I'm Athena_(1)_!" mocked Evelyn, with a proud voice.

"Oh, please...if you were to be listed in mythology, you would be a mayor Aphrodite_(2)_," pointed out Victoire. Evelyn gave her a mildly resentful look, but soon smiled again.

"So...what are you up to now?" asked the brunette girl.

"Not much, really. Still need that backup?"

"Sure! I have rules, though. No sarcasm, smile now and then and don't rub how much you love your boyfriend on all of us just to make the point that you're not available. I know you get what you need from you man, but you don't have to rub it in."

Victoire laughed weakly and shook her head. "Fine, I'll just sit there."

"Perfect, just be pretty."

--

_October__ 29, 2017_

"Oh, forget it. I won't get this right," Victoire sentenced, closing her books and placing her belongings inside her bag. She stood up from the grass and took off fast.

"Giving up so soon?" inquired Evelyn, taking her Potions' book between her arms and running after her.

"Forget it, I can't concentrate. Besides, the light is beginning to fade. We might as well go inside."

Evelyn followed her pace but soon enough the girl froze on her spot, a gasp escaping her mouth.

"What?" asked Victoire, turning to her friend. She soon realized that the girl was glancing in direction towards the Forest. Victoire turned to the spot and blinked twice before believing her eyes.

"Isn't that..."

"Yes. That's your boyfriend..." whispered Evelyn, her face pale. "Um, you know Victoire, I'll leave you two to your things. I got to go," she said with hurry and walked in direction towards the castle.

Victoire ignored her friend's behaviour and rushed herself towards the trees, where Teddy waited, firm and still. It was only when she was close enough that she was able to notice the stern expression of his face. Her smile disappeared and she didn't dare to hug him or kiss him once she caught his cold eyes.

"Teddy," she said softly. "Are you alright?"

Teddy smiled, not his sweet smile or his sexy smile or even his everyday smile. His gesture was ironic, and just as cold as his eyes. Victoire felt a knot around her stomach that cut her breath short.

"I really needed to talk to you," he said, containing the distance that separated them. Victoire turned her head around, making sure that no one had seen him. She nodded silently and walked into the line that separated the forest from the open grounds.

She felt Teddy walking behind her, making almost no sounds as he went, Victoire breathed in. It was surprising just how many things came across her head during those few seconds. She stopped walking when she ran into the shore of the lake and turned around to face him.

"What's wrong?" she asked directly. Teddy shook his head and the unpleasant smile that stopped her breathing came back to his face.

"I need to know if this is true," he said. He took a small piece of parchment out of his jacket and handed it to her. Victoire frowned perplexed and took the letter from his hands, reading it as fast as possible, her jaw dropping widely with each word.

_Dear Ted, _

_I won't take much of your time. I'm just writing because, hey, I like you enough to warn you..._

_I__ confess I took Victoire under my wing yesterday, mainly because the poor thing had nowhere else to go, and well, let's just say she didn't have a bad time at all. Although it was just a couple of innocent drinks with two friends of mine, I would be lying if I said that one of them didn't show a particular interest in her. And, hey, could you really blame him? _

_The thing is that as a close outsider I can't help noticing__ how restricted your time has become. I know you're a working man, but I think you do often forget just how vulnerable Victoire is, not to mention...attractive, wanted...those just to name a few. Just think that with each time you disappear you give another guy the chance to get closer. _

_I'll leave you to that. _

_Take care, _

_Evelyn_

"WHAT?" shouted Victoire, holding the paper so hard that it began to wrinkle inside her hands. "What the—What is wrong with her?" she yelled, ruining the parchment with her close fist. "Is she crazy? What the hell—"

"—Wait a minute," said Teddy, raising both of his hands. "You mean It's true?" he asked, suddenly astonished.

"Well...only _parts_ of it," she answered, suddenly realizing that the situation wasn't going to favour her in any way. "That crazy little...I can't believe her!"

"Are you kidding me?" he raised his voice. "I can't believe _you_!"

"Me?"

"Victoire! Did we both read the same letter? You went in a double date! You went in a date with another guy!" he said, gesturing hard with his hands.

"Oh, I wouldn't call it that. It was more like a single date with two sculptures sitting at the same table."

"I can't bloody believe this!" he laughed sarcastically. "I actually thought Evelyn was making it all up!"

"If you thought that, then why are you here?" she pointed out. The knot in her stomach had dissolved, now she was just contemplating how easily his temper was crumbling.

"Never mind that! Why would you—why—who's that bloke? Where is he?" Teddy asked.

"I don't know where he is, I barely know him," she shrugged, stupefied with how red his hair was. At the moment she was just trying to recall the last time she had seen him that mad, and she couldn't come up with one event that matched his current attitude.

"Where did you meet?" he asked dryly.

"The three broomsticks..." she said.

"What house is he in?"

"Gryffindor..."

"Does he play Quidditch?" he asked, looking towards the pitch.

"I don't know...I don't think so...what—what's with all the interrogation?" she snapped.

"Just answer the questions."

"Teddy, I don't even know him. I just sat with them for an hour or two."

"What year is he in?" he asked, ignoring her.

"Sixth…"

"He's younger than you."

"I know how to count, _thanks_," she retorted. "Would you calm down? Nothing happened, I even left early!

"The nerve of some—"

"—Teddy, it's not his fault. He was just sitting there…"

"Not his fault? Brilliant! Please, defend him!" he said, gesturing with his hands.

"I'm not defend—"

"—What did you do afterwards?"

" Nothing! I went back early to school! _Alone_. Happy?" she said, crossing her arms.

Teddy glanced at her, he breathed deeply, and exhaled before talking. "Actually, no," he said, swallowing hard, he walked a couple of feet, getting rid of the cold distance that had been separating them. "Why did you go on that date?" he asked firmly, his eyes which were generally warm and soothing, were nothing but intimidating at the moment.

"I told you. It wasn't a date..." she whispered, looking at his shoulder instead of his eyes. It didn't take Teddy more than a second to take her chin with his hand, and raise her face, so she was forced to look at him properly.

"I don't care what it was. Why did you go?" he asked again. She hadn't given much thought to it, until she saw, not the jealousy, but the concern of his stern face.

"I didn't...it was just—" she interrupted herself and exhaled strongly, giving him all the credit. He had every reason to be mad, no point on arguing it. Teddy tightened his grip on her chin, his face softened, but it wasn't less intimidating. "I don't know," she ended up shrugging.

"Are you that much mad at me?" he asked, frowning in disconcert.

"Wha—no! I'm not mad!" she retorted.

"You seem upset," he said, and Victoire tried to look down again, but his hand stopped her face from moving and inch. He had become an expert at figuring her expressions out. Darn it.

"I—Alright, I am mad…" she admitted. Teddy nodded "But it's not you. Or maybe it is you, I don't know...It's just...it's so frustrating!" she reproached.

"Victoire there's not much we can really do about it," he said.

"That's exactly what's so frustrating..." she answered.

Teddy's face changed again, and now it didn't seem concerned or jealous; it looked simply painful.

"I hate this," said Victoire as she saw him smiling sadly. Teddy moved the hand that had been holding her chin and placed it on her cheek, a moment later he did the same thing with his other hand, holding her face gently.

"Just think..." he encouraged. "In less than a year I'll be able to see you every day." Victoire smiled weakly as he rubbed his right thumb on her lower lip, very softly.

"I really can't wait."

"Most days we'll have lunch together," he continued, kissing the tip of her nose. "We'll see each other every night and..."he stopped.

"And...?"

"And I'll have you for myself, I'll have you for entire weekends," he said to her ear, when he retrieved his face she contemplated his soft, yet irresistible smirk.

"I don't think my parents will let me stay at your flat for an entire weekend," she said back, her fingers dancing temptly all over his chest.

"Let the man dream, Victoire," he said, once he leaned his head down to kiss her, pressing his lips deeply into hers before retrieving them. "In the mean time, could you not go on dates with other guys? If it's not too much to ask I'd like to keep it intimate," he teased. Victoire shut her eyes tightly and slapped his shoulder softly.

"Don't say that. I swear, I'm going to kill Evelyn for telling you all that. She can be so—"

"—Don't. Don't kill her," he said softly, lifting the corner of his mouth.

"Why not?"

"Well, she got me here, didn't she? I'm thinking I should thank her instead."

"Oh, please, Teddy, She—"

"—She means well, even if her ways are completely mental. I think she understands guys better than you give her credit for," he explained and contemplated her intently. He gestured with his head, took her hand with his and led the way by the shore of the lake, which was tinted with the colours of that day's sunset.

--

Victoire contemplated the silver moon in the sky, and the intensity of its shining light. Her head and body rested tranquil on the grass, while her right fingers caressed Teddy's hand. The silence between them wasn't an issue, it was oddly relieving; and the time they had spent lying on the open grass was more an illusion than a reality. It could have been nine o'clock, eleven o'clock, or even past midnight, and there was no way for her to notice. Best of all, there wasn't a real reason.

"It shouldn't have to take a jealous rage to get me here..." Teddy whispered sadly. Victoire turned her head around and contemplated him, his body lying so close to hers, his hair matching wonderfully the moon's silver colour.

"You've been busy..." she said, but grinned at the very minute.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Nothing. You admitting to be jealous, that's all," she said between soft laughs. "You should have seen your face." Teddy shook his head.

"Let me tell you I was in all my right," he argued. "But, come to think of it. I shouldn't have been..." he said suspiciously.

"Why not?" she asked, cutting her laughter.

"Just think... you really can't do anything behind my back anyway," he said, breaking his plain face and turning it into a mischievous grin.

"And exactly why is that?"

"Simple. Whenever you meet some guy who might fancy you…just think he might be me," he smirked and Victoire dropped her jaw, disbelieving him.

"You wouldn't…" she dared.

Teddy shrugged. "I don't know…would I?" he asked innocently.

"Oh, please, you would never take that amount of your time to stock me, or to test me with metamorphosis. You're saner than that."

"Yeah, well, your madness has to rub off on me eventually, doesn't it?" he mocked, and Victoire slapped his chest. Teddy laughed at the look on her face, and after a moment Victoire turned to lie on one side of her body.

"I have a question," she said. "Do you miss Hogwarts much?"

Teddy frowned at her. "What's that for?"

"Just answer the question," she said plainly.

"All the time," he admitted. "But I'm sure I won't miss it as much next year." Victoire smiled softly, but the gesture didn't last very long.

"It feels really safe being here, doesn't it?" she asked then.

"What do you mean?"

"We all have the same goals. We make it through each year, focus on doing our best, and having fun while we are at it. But...out there, I mean, how I'm I supposed to focus on something if I don't even know what I want to do for a career? It's..."

"...Scary? Of course it is. But why are you worrying so much? You'll do just fine."

"I don't even know what I want to do. I'm studying my head off for the NEWTS, and then what? I'm so messed up..." she concluded, exhaling, and playing with the sharp grass that was under her fingers. "It's going to stop being simple when I get out of here." Teddy chuckled.

"You're not messed up, you're just dramatic," he stated. "You'll be fine! Stop worrying so much."

"Easy for you to say, you've known what you've wanted all along, and now you're accomplishing it."

"And so will you. Just give yourself a little time." Teddy took her hand with his, his skin was softer than the breeze that passed by, and definitely warmer.

"Now, this... this I can really say I miss," said Teddy, looking at her.

"We use to do this a lot when you were here, didn't we?"

"What?"

"Just...lay here."

"Yes," he smiled. "And you were always freaking out about getting locked outside the castle," Teddy recalled. "Wait, I just realized, there's something wrong with this picture," he indulged, and pulled Victoire towards him, so her head rested on his chest. "Better."

Victoire laid her hand on his chest, drawing circles all over his shirt with the tip of her fingers.

"We'll make it through the year," she said. Teddy kept his silence for a moment, but she felt his lips kissing the top of her head, touching her bronze hair softly.

"Is that a question?" he said.

"It's a statement," Victoire answered.

The stillness of the night was as seductive as it was soothing. She could see every detail of his clothes and his skin with the powerful light the moon was offering.

"It's getting late. Aren't you worried about being stuck out here all night?" Teddy asked after a while.

"Couldn't care less," she answered. She felt Teddy chuckling quietly, as he wrapped his arms around her body, to press her against him as much as possible.

--

_Artist: Snow Patrol_

_A/N: __Long chapter! Please, Leave your comments, any at all! Those of you who have been reviewing these past chapters are so highly appreciated! Thank you!! Oh, I'm posting some footnotes, just in case somebody isn't familiar with Greek mythology, which was mentioned at the beginning. _

--

Footnotes:

(1.)Athena: Goddess of wisdom, warfare, handicrafts and reason. Sister of Ares, and is the daughter of Zeus. She is the wisest of the gods. Her symbols are the aegis, owl, and olive tree.

(2.)Aphrodite: Goddess of love, lust, beauty, wife of Hephaestus. Ares is her lover. Eros is her son. Known as the most beautiful of the Greek goddesses. Her symbols are the sceptre, myrtle, and dove.

_A/N: I can't help posting the lyrics to this song: _

_We'll do it all_

_Everything_

_On our own_

_We don't need_

_Anything_

_Or anyone_

_If I lay here_

_If I just lay here_

_Would you lie with me_

_And just forget the world?_

_I don't quite know_

_How to say_

_How I feel_

_Those three words_

_Are said too much_

_They're not enough_

_Forget what we're told_

_Before we get too old_

_Show me a garden_

_That's bursting into life_

_Let's waste time_

_Chasing cars_

_Around our heads_

_I need your grace_

_To remind me_

_To find my own_

_All that I am_

_All that I ever was_

_Is here in your perfect eyes_

_They're all I can see_

_I don't know where_

_Confused about how as well_

_Just know that these things_

_Will never change for us at all_

_If I lay here_

_If I just lay here_

_Would you lie with me_

_And just forget the world?_


	24. Everybody's Changing

**Everybody's Changing**

_(A/N: Please, notice that it's been a year since last chapter!)_

_November 6, 2018_

_--_

When Teddy walked inside his flat he tried to make his way into the kitchen through the darkness of his living room. The sweet, chocolate smell that reached his nostrils was the subtle hint that told him the house wasn't empty. He smiled softly, but after tripping with the coffee table that had been misplaced in the room Teddy was certain that Victoire was in fact inside the house.

She must have been doing some cleaning.

He didn't get to the kitchen safely; two arms wrapped his neck from his back pulling him down. Victoire kissed the skin of his neck softly.

"You're late, again," she reproached, hitting his shoulder as Teddy wrapped one arm around her waist.

"I didn't know you'd be here," he said smiling at her presence, before he placed his free hand under her chin to raise her face high enough for him to kiss her.

"You shouldn't have given me a key if you didn't want me crashing in your kitchen," she whispered between kisses. Teddy stopped to admire the playful smile her lips drew.

"I'm not complaining, but why crash in my kitchen when you can crash in my room instead?" he suggested, lowering his deep tone of voice. Victoire raised her eyebrow, slightly smirking, a look that made him embrace her more firmly, pressing his lips hard against hers. But as he ran his hands down her long her, indulging more and more intensity to their kiss, he felt her body pulling away, loosening herself from his embrace in a fast move.

Teddy frowned, quite thrown off. Victoire putting an end to their physical contact was out of place. He followed her silently to the small kitchen, and threw his tired body on one of the chairs.

"How was work?" she asked as she checked the pots that were on the fire of the stove.

"Great," he said. "I think my editor is assigning me the article I've been after."

"The one about the lycanthropes?" asked Victoire, pleasantly surprised. He nodded.

"It might take a few months to put together. I might even have to travel for research," he added.

She turned around again, and he contemplated every one of her moves around the place. Her pace was fast and somewhat clumsy; she tied her hair in a very improvised ponytail, when generally her long, splendorous locks never got In her way; she even seemed to be fixing too much food for two people. Teddy sat silently, waiting cautiously for the right moment to ask her for the reason to her hyperactive behaviour. He began to notice that the silence that had tensed the room was beginning to bother him when Victoire let a pan fall to the floor, making a violent noise, increasing the tension.

Teddy stood up in a fast move and picked the pan from the floor before Victoire could kneel down to reach it.

"Thanks," she murmured.

"Are you alright?" he asked frowning, pushing away the lock of hair that was blocking her eyes. Victoire nodded fast, and as he searched for the nervous expression her eyes were giving out, she turned and placed the pan on the sink.

"You didn't have to cook again," he said, leaning against the counter, trying his best to understand her attitude.

"You wouldn't eat if it depended on you," she answered, and as she flicked her wand, water ran down the pipe and filled the sink. Teddy shrugged in agreement, falling silent again, staring at her intently.

When Victoire turned around she caught his glare for a second but avoided his sight in a fast move. When she walked back to the stove Teddy stopped her halfway, placing his hands on her waist, and pressing her against him. There was something wondering in his mind, something he had been wanting to suggest for the past days, but today's behaviour was driving him away from saying it.

"You look tired," said Victoire, but as tired as he was he soon figured that Victoire had caught his interrogating sight and was looking for a way to drive the subject away from her. Teddy sighed and nodded weakly. No matter how cool she tried to behave –which she never pulled off when she was nervous- her eyes always gave her away.

"I am a bit tired," he admitted.

"Why don't you go take a shower?" she said, looking at his face, but remarkably not at his eyes.

"I will if you come with me," he said softly, brushing his mouth against the skin of her cheek. Victoire chuckled and looked down.

"I'll wait for you here," she said, sweetly, but firmly. Teddy raised his eyebrows, amused by her direct rejection. That was twice in less than ten minutes. That wasn't normal, if something felt out of place before then now it felt out of the entire balance of their universe.

"Are you sure nothing's wrong?" he asked.

"Teddy, I'm fine!" she assured. "I'm just not going to let everything burn."

"Alright then," he said somewhat grumpily. "Are you staying tonight?"

Victoire bit her lip as she shook her head. "I shouldn't. I've been sneaking in my bedroom far too much this week. I'm bound to get caught anytime soon," she acknowledged, Teddy laughed softly, unwillingly, mostly out of impulse.

"Maybe you should start to consider moving into the city. Now that you're career hunting..." he said, referring to his girlfriend's latest attempt to find what she called her _intellectual epiphany_. Teddy laughed for an hour the first time she came up with that strange term, but soon he acknowledged that that was exactly what she was doing. She had spent her last few weeks reading books, newspapers, anything that could lead her to a career of her liking. But as much as she found things of her interest –the strangest the better- she didn't find anything attractive enough for her.

Teddy knew that she was getting enough pressure from Fleur, who couldn't understand why her daughter was having such a hard time figuring herself out. Teddy, on the other hand, insisted that the hardest she looked the further she was going to find something. But, of course, Victoire didn't pay the slightest attention to his advice.

"I've considered...moving out," she said, somewhat sadly, evasively. He tightened his grip on her waist and decided that it was a relatively good moment to suggest what he had been thinking.

"You know, I've been thinking, I need to rent the spare room of this apartment. Do you know anybody who might be interested?" he asked, pretending to be careless about it. Victoire laughed quietly.

"You don't have a spare room," she said with her sweet tone.

"Oh right, I didn't mean spare room, I meant spare side of the bed," he said. He sensed how Victoire stopped breathing momentarily. Her face froze, he couldn't tell if she was shocked or moved, but she surely hadn't expected it. He, on the other hand, had been considering it for weeks.

"What are you suggesting?" she asked, her voice breaking, she breathed deeply.

"You know what I'm suggesting," he said, holding her face tightly with both hands, caressing her cheek with his thumb. "You already have the key..."

Victoire panted, smiling, maybe overwhelmed.

"I could get a bigger flat," he began to suggest.

"What? No, I love this place!" she argued.

"Victoire, the chimney smokes the living room and it's too small, as the rest of this house."

"I like the small chimney. I love this flat," she said looking around the kitchen that had capacity for no more than four people. "I love everything about it. Don't change it," she said with an impressive amount of emphasis. The only thing that Teddy could spot in her voice was nostalgic tone, and he couldn't understand why it was there.

Soon her eyes looked down again, and Teddy began to have doubts, he had no idea of where all that was leading them, and he felt anxious enough to figure it out.

"You don't want to move in—"

"—No!" she jumped. "Of course I do! God... of course I do!"

"Then..."

"I just...well, my parents won't love the idea of us moving in together so soon, and my Grand...she will flip out."

"Why does it matter so much?" asked Teddy, seriously concerned. He didn't get how Victoire used sensible thinking only for certain subjects, while for others she could be unconditionally irrational.

"Well, it's my family, they—"

"—It's my family too. But I care more about what _you_ think," he said firmly.

"I...I think we should think this...through," she ended up mumbling. "That's all."

"Fair enough," he answered, with little enthusiasm. "I'll go take that shower," he said evasively, letting go of her and walking out of his kitchen, wondering if the possibility of moving in together was going to become one of _those_ subjects. Teddy had qualified _those_ subjects as the ones that made Victoire ramble, look elsewhere and try to desperately change the subject. In the list of _those_ subjects he had: Butterflies, because they would freak her out, but that was no big deal, or no new deal at least, and he found it somewhat adorable.

The real subjects she would never touch were: Marriage, she had an uncommon way of reacting to that particular subject. Of _all_ things he couldn't believe marriage was a scary territory. Then she had the _kids_ subjects. He wanted to think the reason Victoire was so scared about having kids was because of the huge family that surrounded her. With two little hurricanes for brothers and eleven not very quiet cousins, she was bound to react a little uncomfortably to growing a family that big.

He made a huge mistake the day he teased her about wanting to have kids anytime soon. He had been joking, obviously, but she didn't saw a trace of it in his tone or his eyes.

"What? Why would you want kids now? _You're_ still a kid!" she had said impulsively.

"No Victoire, _you're_ still a kid," he had teased. She hated when he played to be many years older than her.

"You're just two years older than me!" she argued pointlessly, biting her lip for a moment. "How many do you want, anyway?" she asked seeming interested, and that's when Teddy made the real mistake.

"Oh, not much, just four, never more than five," he had teased but he hadn't expected Victoire's reaction.

"Four—FIVE?" she had asked faintly, short of breath, her pink cheeks turning white "Are you out of your mind? What do you want that many for?"

It took Teddy a while to calm her down, and to get her breathing again. He mocked her about it, laughing unstoppably at her reaction.

He was ridiculously young, not to mention Victoire, but after that late afternoon when they had discussed that specific detail of their relationship, in the closeness of his own bed, Teddy began to understand that he wouldn't mind having a big family at all. Not now, sure, but how long was he going to have to wait for it to come?

That afternoon the having _kids_ topic had passed to the list of _those_ subjects, and with the moving in issue becoming a problem other than a pleasant alternative, he began to feel his list of future possibilities becoming rather small.

Teddy walked into his bedroom, and went straight to the bathroom where he opened the shower and let the water run free, waiting for it to gain a warm temperature. Once the steam began to fill the place, he turned to the bedroom again, where he pulled his shirt out and with his head half hidden in the fabric he didn't see that he was walking into a table that was, once again, misplaced.

He tripped as he ran into the piece of furniture, making it fall to the floor. Teddy pulled his shirt back down and saw that Victoire's purse had fallen to the floor as well, spreading its entire content.

"_Are you alright?"_ asked Victoire's voice.

"I'm fine..." he said back, kneeling down to pick up the small bottle of perfume, the agenda, the portable quill, the wallet, the keys to her house and to his house, the many pictures of their cousins when they were little, and other unidentified small items. It was amazing how much she could fit in her small purses. But of all the things he picked up, the only ones that caught his attention were the set of envelopes that were all over the floor.

Teddy picked them up and as he impulsively turned to read the sender, he felt Victoire's behaviour for the past hours, and even the past days making clear, readable sense.

--

"So, this is it?" he asked, leaning against the door frame of the kitchen. Victoire startled. She was sitting at the table, holding her head with her hands, deep in thought. She looked up and didn't gaze at Teddy, she looked directly at the parchments he was holding. "This is what you've been hiding from me?" he demanded softly. Victoire bit her lip, nervously and nodded once.

Teddy shook his head.

"France?"

"Just...let me explain. It's not what it—"

"—What it seems? I'll tell you what it seems. It seems like you decided to keep the important things of your life, a secret to me!"

"It wasn't a secret! It's not like I have to tell you every little thing that's on my mind!"

"Little thing?" he asked, not believing the girl that was sitting in front of him. "I just asked you to move in with me ten minutes ago! I'm not asking you to tell me everything that's on your mind, I'm asking you to tell me about the _important_ things!"

"I was! I was going to tell you!"

"When? When it was time to see you off? Victoire, you moving to France is not a _little thing_"

"I'm not moving to France! It was just a silly thought. Something that came up!"

Teddy walked up to her, pulled a chair and sat across Victoire. The way she looked at him, somewhere between mortified and anxious broke him in seconds. His face softened, he could feel his expression lightening up. The recent secrecy and her latest evasive behaviour upset him in unspeakable ways, but only because he sensed her fragility, he felt her far from him, when being close to him had always been her priority.

She had new priorities now, it was only natural, and it would be way too unfair to stand in her way. As a matter of fact, none of this was a surprise. Victoire needed time to figure things out by herself, it had always been that way with her. No amount of external pressure could help her, she always ended up finding her own way. And the thing that bothered Teddy, in ways he couldn't explain was that he had been the only thing holding her back those past few months. It was a fact, and he hated it.

"I'm sorry..." she mumbled, looking at him, her eyes filled with guilt. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this. It's just that...I'm not going..."

Teddy looked at her deeply, and frowned. "You filled out the forms."

"I know...but still, I'm not going. I made the decision."

"Right," he nodded firmly. "Anyway, aren't you going to tell me about it?" he encouraged.

Victoire looked up and sighed after a few seconds. "My aunt Gabi sent me the information, a couple of days ago," she began. "I didn't pay much attention to it at first but then... I got to reading it. It's sort of an exchange program," she took the papers and began to look through them. He noticed, almost instantly, how her face changed as she explained what the program was about, how the subtle trace of excitement was taking over her lips. Sometimes he wished he didn't know her that well.

"See this?" she continued, pointing at some city names. "They take the selected group of people from different countries and they travel through different parts of France. The first four months they spent them in Paris, taking intensive French classes." Teddy leaned forward, listening intently, noticing the emptiness the word _months_ left inside of him. "And the next months you station in different cities and towns, and that's the most interesting part because you learn about the country, the cultures, the dialects. Look!" she said, suddenly excited. "They have a very advanced observatory in one of the cities, _developed for magical astronomy research purposes_," she read to him. "The program even offers to help get positioned in some departments of France's Ministry of Magic, after the first year. There are different careers to choose from, in case the person wants to stay in France. "

After she said that last, she fell silent for a while, and so did he.

"It seems interesting, that's all. The program, I mean, not the staying in France part."

He nodded silently.

"I'm just saying it seems nice," she cleared out.

"You want to go. That's what you're saying."

"No! That's —"

"—Why couldn't you tell me this?" he asked again, he couldn't take the bitter tone off his voice.

"Because I decided not to go, that's why" she answered simply. "It would all be a mess if I went."

"But...that's what you want to do, and if you haven't noticed...it sounds like a bloody great opportunity," he said sincerely.

"I'm not leaving you," she retorted firmly. Teddy's laugh was dry.

"Why would you pass on this?" he asked then, and Victoire didn't answer. If it weren't because Victoire had hidden the entire subject, then maybe, just maybe, he would have believed her will on staying. But she had betrayed her own silence with her attitude, and it was too clear now. Victoire had found her _intellectual Epiphany,_ and just like Teddy had feared, it implied an entire change in her life. His mind travelled, to the first months of their relationship, where they both spent most of their time adoring each other, especially her, who couldn't get enough of him, and Teddy simply loved that fact. He thought briefly about the last years, and how much they had been dealing with. He had to admit that she handled their long-distance relationship better than he hopped, even if eventually her jealous rages and her unreasonable behaviour said otherwise.

And finally he recalled the last months they had spent together, where she seemed to be looking for a career like a mother would look for a stolen child: desperately. He, on the other hand, had spent the last few months understanding that now that he had her with him, he still wasn't satisfied. He needed more. He needed her in his bed every night, in her kitchen every morning; he needed to feel he was coming back to her at the end of each day. That's why he came up with the moving in together idea, even though they were in fact too young and half of their family would disapprove the idea.

But he couldn't help it, he couldn't help wanting more. He knew what it felt like to miss her, to feel her absence, and to think that he was going to have to put up with it again...

Teddy stood up and walked to the living room, towards a small table that was in the corner. He pulled a quill out of the drawer and headed back to the kitchen. When he reached Victoire he placed the quill on top of the table, in front of Victoire.

"You still haven't filled two of the forms," he said, so soft it came out as a whisper. Victoire looked up, stern, her breathing slow. She ended up pushing the quill away from her with slight anger, like a little girl.

"Don't be ridiculous, Teddy. I said: I'm not going," she pointed out, suddenly dry, very determined. Teddy shook his head, took the quill and set it back on the table.

"You're too hard to handle sometimes," he argued.

Victoire looked at the quill momentarily. "You don't even seem surprised," she said thoughtfully. "You don't even seem mad." He considered staying silent but he ended up answering.

"I...I think I saw it coming," he said. She looked at him again, frowning.

"What?"

"I think I've been expecting it," he explained, doing his best in controlling his calm voice.

Victoire looked down for a while. Teddy's ears were suddenly filled with the sound of running water. He hadn't realized that he had left the shower open until then. He freed himself from his thoughts, and concentrated on the running water, which seemed like a far away rain, until Victoire spoke again.

"Just say it'll be alright..." she pleaded all of a sudden, taking the quill in her hands and looking up at his serious face. Her eyes were watering. She reached for his hand and held it tightly.

"It'll be fine," he said, with a weak string of voice, too weak. "We've done this before," that last didn't sound as comforting as he wanted to.

"It will only be a year," she said then, her own voice breaking. Teddy didn't want to say anything to that last. He leaned down and pressed his lips against her forehead, it was long, soothing and silent. As he caressed her hair with his hands, Victoire held him by the waist tightly.

"I'll go take that shower now," he whispered before he gave her a quick peck on the lips. Victoire nodded and seemed resentful to have to let go of him. "Then you can tell me more about the astronomy observatory," he encouraged. Victoire smiled weakly, but the gesture faded after a second.

--

_A/N: Um...I'm a b__it depressed, and so is Teddy (and so was the person who wrote this song). Please.....review! You've come this far with this story, so please share your thoughts, questions or suggestions. I'd love to hear them. _

_Artist: Keane (this song is really beautiful, give it a try if you haven't heard it!)_

_Lyrics: _

_You say you wander your own land_

_But when I think about it_

_I don't see how you can_

_You're aching, you're breaking_

_And I can see the pain in your eyes_

_Since everybody's changing_

_And I don't know why. _

_So little time_

_Try to understand that I'm_

_Trying to make a move just to stay in the game_

_I try to stay awake and remember my name_

_But everybody's changing_

_And I don't feel the same._

_You're gone from here_

_Soon you will disappear_

_Fading into beautiful light_

_'cause everybody's changing_

_And I don't feel right. _

_So little time_

_Try to understand that I'm_

_Trying to make a move just to stay in the game _

_I try to stay awake and remember my name_

_But everybody's changing_

_And I don't feel the same. _


	25. If You're Gone

**If you're gone**

_February 9, 2__019_

_--_

"I still don't get it," argued Teddy, slipping his key through the door to open it. He hardly ever walked inside his flat through the Chimney, especially when he was with Victoire. The fireplace was too small and they often ended up hitting their heads with the frame. Not to mention that he always came out with more powder than he was supposed to. Muggle fireplaces weren't built to travel with floopowder.

"What's not to get?" retorted Victoire, mildly aggressive by now.

"Why can't they give you a couple of weeks off? I mean, not even during the summer?" he insisted, stepping to one side so she could walk in first. Teddy shut the door behind them.

"For the last time," began Victoire, exhaling strongly. "It's not like I'm going to school again. This is different. I don't get weeks off, I don't get breaks during Easter or during the summer. What did you think this was? Witch camp?" she said, taking her coat off, hanging it in the closet.

Teddy shook his head, but said nothing. He walked silently to the small chimney and lit the fire. His body was still for the next seconds.

"I'll get a week off during Christmas…" she said, with an encouraging voice that made Teddy turn around abruptly.

"Christmas? Is that all we are going to get? _Christmas_? You leave in two weeks, that's _nine_ months until Christmas!" he reproached, disbelieving that Victoire could even consider that it was short amount of time. She was leaving in less than a month and with every day that passed he kept discovering more cons to the leaving to France plan. By now he couldn't keep pretending like he didn't care about the long time they were going to spend apart from each other, and the consequences it would bring, and the fact that he couldn't settle for just that. It had turned into an endless cycle. He was supposed to relive the past two years of their relationship and pretend like everything was going to be perfectly fine.

Victoire was lousy with the pretending part. Her temper had become very fragile and he had noticed fast how evasive she was turning. He had no idea when it all begun, though. Up until Christmas they had been almost inseparable. He didn't let go of her during the holidays, and he knew she valued their time as much as him.

But as the New Year begun and as soon as he went back to work and she dedicated herself to get prepared for her departure, everything around Teddy transformed abruptly.

"Well, we shouldn't have to wait nine months because I' assuming that my boyfriend will go visit _me_ from time to time as well," she said, a little too loud for his liking. "If it's not too much to ask, that is."

Teddy unbuttoned his coat in a clumsy move. He couldn't stand its heavy load one more second. He tossed it on the coffee table and threw the weight of his own body on the surface of the green couch. He sighed strongly, and pressed his fingers against his forehead, between his eyebrows, where a small, yet piercing pain was beginning to take control of him.

"I won't be able to go that much," he explained gravely, resting his neck against the couch, seeking for the pain to disappear. "I mean, I can't leave work for more than a week or two."

"I thought you said you would arrange it. You said you'd try to take some time off," she scolded.

"That was before today," he said softly, simulating patience, his eyes closed. They had gone through that subject hundreds of times, always reaching different conclusions.

"What happened today?" she asked irritated.

"Nothing that didn't get fixed," Teddy said dryly. He also didn't want to go through_ that_ again.

"I'm not in the mood for riddles," she threw off. Teddy opened his eyes. The light of the room went straight to his head, to the source of the pain.

"Can you turn that thing off?" he asked weakly, pointing at the lamp that was on the table. He saw Victoire's estranged face, and saw that she didn't move an inch to answer his request. She crossed her arms and walked two steps to approach him.

"What happened at work today?" she asked, and it sounded loud, accusingly, but it could have just been the effect of the headache.

"Nothing…"

"Teddy."

He took his hand to his eyes, which were beginning to sting. "I quit," he said dryly.

"What?" she asked, breathless, relaxing her arms.

"This morning…"

"Are you serious?" Victoire dropped herself on the brown armchair, right in front of him, he nodded. "Why?" she asked frowning, stupefied. "Why would yo—"

"—I don't know," he lied dryly, shutting his eyes tightly. The light was intensifying the pain with each second. He sighed heavily. "Josh came to me early this morning, yelling all around the office. He was pissed off because I didn't include what he wanted in some mediocre note in yesterday's paper. I'm telling you...it was a morbid, sensationalistic piece of information. Completely unnecessary. He yelled, and yelled..." Teddy's pause turned into a sigh. "I'm so tired of people yelling...so I told him what he needed to hear. I don't know what got into me. Next thing I knew I was quitting," explained Teddy, recalling the scene in his mind. Victoire's stare was of pure shock.

"Are you out of your mind?" she accused. Teddy shrugged.

"Don't worry so much. He called me in a few hours later and…I'm not unemployed," he said, showing no expression.

"Well that shows how much they appreciate you over there. How could you do that? How could you put your job at risk?"

"Josh can be a prick…"

"Your boss has always been a prick, and you have always handled him well. You love your job! You love what you do!" she said loudly, piercing his ears.

"I know that!" he retorted.

"That was a very silly thing to do."

"I know that too! But for a minute I thought…I thought maybe everything would be easier if I just…I thought maybe I could go with you," he admitted, but he wasn't dumb enough to not know that it was a deluded idea.

"Go with me? Teddy that wouldn't work," she said immediately, she didn't even think before answering.

Teddy raised his eyes at her, doing his best to read her, but what he saw was just disappointing.

"I know…" he said, his throat dry and rough. The headache had expanded; his head was growing bigger from the pain.

"I'll be moving around too much. It just—"

"I know that too…that's how I figured just how stupid my idea was." He tried to rest his head against the sofa, but the attempt didn't lessen the pain. He actually enjoyed the following silence. He breathed in. "I've been searching my brains… looking for a way for this to work—"

"—I'll be in Paris the first three months," she cut him. "You can go and see me there," she said simply. "Like you said you would."

"And then what?" he asked, his voice echoing the room.

Another silence, until Victoire broke it.

"And then…we'll see how it goes," she said lamely. Teddy ran his fingers through his hair. It was a strange form of Déjà vu. They had already gone through all that two years ago, without the fighting and the uncertainty, without knowing how hard it was going to be.

"That's the thing Victoire. _See how it goes_? What does that even mean?" he questioned desperately.

"It means we'll manage. Like we did before," she assured him, he shook his head, amazed at her reaction. He was certain she hated this as much as him.

"You don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?" she asked annoyed.

"It's one more year of being each of us on our own. For one more year we'll have a relationship with _Metis_ instead of each other. One more year of bickering and late night letters just to make sure the other one is behaving well. One more year of all that. Do you really want that?"

Victoire remained silent, and that was enough of an answer.

"I want to be with you…" she murmured weakly.

"But you won't be. You'll be with French blokes instead, and the simple idea of me moving there seems ridiculous to you!"

"I didn't say that. I—"

"—It wasn't necessary for you to say it."

Victoire pressed her lips together. "I just don't see how that would work."

"But this works for you, doesn't it? Long distance works like a charm," he said, with an unintended but arrogant laugh.

"Well, we've done it before," she insisted. Teddy grabbed his locks tightly with both hands.

"Yes! Because we knew what would happen at the end of those two years. We'd be together. I knew you'd come back and you knew I'd be waiting for you," he said, listening to himself as he spoke, processing the words, hating the place where it was all going.

"And what? Now you don't think I'm not coming back after this year?"

Teddy stared at her, firmly and silently. Victoire rolled her eyes aggressively.

"Oh, now you're being dramatic and ridiculous."

"Am I really?"

"Teddy! We'll manage! We'll be together at the end of this, no matter how long it takes," she spitted out. He pressed his eyes together, wishing that she would have chosen a better arrangement of words to build that sentence.

"You don't even know how long this is going to take, do you? Victoire, are you listening to yourself?"

"Yes…I—"

"—You don't even know. You're not even sure…" he sighed again, now the pain was travelling down his throat, cutting his breathing. "When you got out of Hogwarts…I had an entire different idea going on in my head. And I know, I'm a jerk for even picturing it but…I thought so many things were going to happen and—"

"—Is this about not moving in together?"

"Victoire, this is about not moving _forward_. It feels as if…we're going backwards instead…"

Victoire raised her eyebrow accusingly. "We never move backwards."

"I...don't see anything in our future anymore, and the main reason for that is..." He looked into her enraged eyes, and then looked down. "That it's not anywhere inside your mind. When you're gone I'll just be...Ted, your boyfriend. The guy who lives in England. The guy who is tying you up."

"Teddy—"

"—I'm not accusing you. I'm just saying…we want different things," that last came out as a weak, fainted string of voice, yet strong enough to reach Victoire's ears. His throat was hurting badly, for a moment he wished he could put a quick end to the entire conversation, but that wasn't possible anymore. He heard how Victoire let a high, mocking laugh escape her throat. It bounced in his eras.

"Shut up Teddy, you're being stupid now. Sounds like you're breaking up with me," she said through a forced laugh.

Teddy became painfully silent, something was settling inside his stomach, something cold, empty. Victoire caught up with his expression fast enough.

"You're not breaking up with me…" she said in quick denial. He shook his head weakly.

"I don't know Victoire…" he whispered, reaching to her, fighting the fact that his head was about to explode. He took her hand, but she moved it abruptly once his skin touched hers.

"Are you kidding me?" she yelled, standing up from the armchair, breathing fast. Teddy didn't move, his eyes became absent.

"You're breaking up with me? You are seriously breaking up with me?"

He didn't answer, at the moment he could barely breathe.

"Is this because of—I don't have to go. As a matter of fact, I won't go. I'll stay with you, but you can't just break us up. That's stupid, that's…"

"—Victoire you're going to France," he sentenced.

"No, I'm not. Don't tell me what to do!" she yelled.

"If you don't go, it won't change a thing."

"What?" she shrieked.

"It won't. We'd still be looking for very different things —"

"—What? What's wrong with you? Are you crazy or something?"

"It's not going to work this way."

"Stop saying that!"

"Victoire did you forget what it was like?" he said, louder than he had intended.

"No! But—"

"—Did you forget how much we use to fight? Especially during your seventh year. We were _sick_ of it. We couldn't wait for it to be all over!"

Victoire fell into silence, her face seemed to be recalling something.

"You almost broke up with me once because you thought I was cheating on you with someone from work, Leane, remember? Who, by the way… is actually a guy!" he reproached, with a subject he hadn't touched for many months.

"Well, what kind of guy is named Leane? I thought he was a woman, and I flipped out every time you said you were staying all night at the Prophet working with her— I mean, him. I thought—"

"—I know what you thought. I remember it vividly…"

"Well, in my defence we _both_ had episodes."

"I know! That's exactly my point. By the end of your seventh year we couldn't stand—"

"—You don't love me anymore. That's the thing," she reacted. Teddy groaned in desperation.

"Damn it, Victoire!" he said loudly, taking his hands to his head, feeling his skin burning by now. "Why can't you understand? I adore you—"

"—Then why the hell—"

"—I want more! That's why!" he admitted, Victoire softened her face.

"More?" she mumbled. "More than what?"

"I want you sleeping with me every night. I want us fighting about why you came in so late from work, or whose turn it was to pick up dinner. I want you here, or even me there! I'd even go for that! But you won't even consider me going to France with you!"

"I…I didn't say that! I meant that you can't leave your job right now, and even if you do. Where would you live? Would you be following me around? I just said it wouldn't work, because it wouldn't!"

"And _this_ will?"

"I…yes, I—"

"—I want to have a relationship with you not with your owl!" he breathed in. He was certain his head was going to blow up. "I want…I want _us_," he shrugged. He saw how Victoire opened her mouth, her eyes set on his, connecting in spite their distance.

"But…you can't do this. It's not the way," she began calmly, but soon lost herself and raised her voice with each syllable. "It's stupid. It's a stupid, lame decision!" she pointed out, her voice higher than a howler, or so it seemed to him.

"Argh! I'm exhausted!" he complained, his hand on his forehead. "I don't have the energy to go through all that again," he said softly. "Do you?"

Victoire panted. "Well…we have to!"

"We _have_ to?" he asked again. "Victoire...you don't _have_ to do anything." He sighed. "What do you want?" he asked slowly. She didn't answer, she just breathed fast. "I've seen you these past months. I know you hate this as much as I do. I can tell!"

"That doesn't have anything to do with it!"

"It does! We've been fighting unstoppably these past weeks. We go on and on for hours! If things are like this now then what is it going to be like when you're in France? I don't see this getting any better, for neither of us."

"This is ridiculous! It's stupid. You're going to regret it! And you're going to be the first to back out!" she yelled, very secure.

"Victoire…could you please lower your voice…" he pleaded, the skin of his neck, burning. He was sweating.

"You'll see! There's no way we can last without—We—Wait…Teddy. You're yellow," she pointed out. Teddy felt dizzy, he couldn't see her well. He frowned estranged, he was certain that his hair was a light shade of brown. He took his hand to touch his wet locks.

"No! Not your hair. Your face. You're pale, and you're sweating!" she said exasperatedly. She ran towards him and took her hand to touch his forehead. "Teddy, you're burning!" she said.

"Leave it...I'm just—" but he didn't put resistance. He stood up from the couch and instinctively used her body to support his. His head spinning, his skin burning and his eyes stinging, but the thing he felt the most was the hole inside his stomach, the one that didn't allow him to breathe.

He felt how Victoire took off his wet shirt, and he practically threw himself on the bed, welcoming the blackout.

--

**Blackout**

_February 10, 2019_

He opened his eyes, and a soft light penetrated them. Dawn, probably. Teddy moved around the sheets, he was alone. The headache was gone, his eyes didn't hurt, his skin didn't burn, and he wasn't sweating. His throat was unbelievably dry, though. He looked at the nightstand and a glass full of water was waiting there for him. As he drank it down he looked at the different bottles of potions that were spread on the nightstand. He recalled Victoire waking him up more than once during the night and making him drink all that. He then looked around the room, searching for her. The emptiness of his stomach was the only thing that was a part of him now, and he was still short of breath.

He stood up, noticing he was wearing the same jeans as the night before. Victoire had pulled his shirt out, and he didn't take the time to look for another one, he walked fast into the living room. He could see the sun rising through the window. He felt relieved once he saw Victoire's bronze hair shine with the first rays of light of the day. She was sitting on the green couch, staring into the fire she kept alive during the night. Teddy exhaled strongly.

He walked up to the couch and after being ignored for a few seconds he decided to sit next to her. Victoire's face was plane, but the dark circles under her eyes said how exhausted she was.

"Hey..." he said, brushing the back of his fingers against her delicate cheek. She closed her eyes to the sense of his touch.

"Well, the fever's gone," she said, before moving her face away a few inches.

"Thanks for staying," he murmured.

"You would have done the same for me," she retorted, her eyes still on the single flame of the fireplace.

"What about your parents?"

"I sent them a letter last night," she said softly. "I let them know that you had a fever and that I was staying to look after you. So, don't be surprised if Metis drops by with a ridiculous amount of food and healing potions."

"Thanks..." he said again. Victoire nodded absently and Teddy glanced at the window, to see the sun rise slowly. He didn't feel like moving, and he didn't want her leaving either, but it was all so fragile that he felt she would rise from the couch at any moment and leave the flat. He reached to grab her hand, but she slipped it away and placed it on her knee.

"You know..." she said after a long, cold pause. "While you were asleep I kept thinking...that what happened last night might have been the fever talking."

Teddy didn't respond, he wanted to agree with her.

"But then I realized," she continued. "Even if that was the case, it still wouldn't make a difference. We said too much." She chuckled coldly. "Of all things…I never thought you'd be doing this…"

"Me neither," he said. Teddy contemplated her pale face. He wanted to touch her, but the last two intents had warned him to keep a distance. "Victoire?" he asked, softly

"What?" she said, refusing to turn and look at him.

"If we give this a try, then... Is it really going to be a year? Or is something else happening after that?"

Victoire looked at the small flame burning in the chimney. She had kept the fire alive all night, but was letting it die by morning. Teddy breathed deeply. "You don't know..." he stated, as he tasted her silence.

"How could I possibly know what's going to happen?" she said weakly.

"Then I think that sums it up," he said, but wasn't fast enough to stop his voice from breaking. He didn't move, for a simple nod, or a stare, would make that reality definite.

"When I woke up yesterday morning..." she said, her lips moved slowly, her voice remained soft, obscure. "...I really did think this was going to work." She turned around and faced him for the first time. "But you..." she said. "You knew it wasn't going to work out." Teddy exhaled strongly and took his hands to cover his face for a moment. "Is this really what you want?" she asked coldly.

"No. I wanted us to be together. I never thought it'd be this hard. But, I don't want to lose you. Victoire, you're my best—"

"—If you say the word _friend_, I will hex you."

"Fine, but it won't stop being true."

Teddy breathed in, and stared into the dead ashes. The light was entering the room quite fast, and when he moved his sight away from the chimney he wondered his eyes across the room, over the small brown armchair that Victoire disliked so much. He loved that piece of furniture and he sat on it every weekend to read the Daily Prophet. When Victoire was in the house, she usually gave him ten minutes of peace but soon she sabotaged him and threw herself on him. Teddy never complained, he let her cuddle her head on his chest as he opened the paper over her head to keep on with the reading.

Teddy looked at the small coffee table, the one that broke more than once because they insisted on putting more weight than it could carry. The aching of his stomach turned unbearable the moment he realized that the next time she returned it would be as a friend, or as an ex-girlfriend or -Merlin forbid- as a stranger. No, never the last one.

"Victoire," he called gravelly and placed his hand firmly on hers again. Victoire's move was sharp and quick. She stood up, abruptly, and walked away from him. His impatience was growing; he didn't want her to leave, not yet. He stood up and pulled her by the arm, pressing her close to him. His hand took her chin and as he raised her face and lifted her sight, he saw her swallowing hard. His hand began to move on its own, caressing her face, running down her shinny hair. He felt immensely relieved to see that she was letting him travel around her figure, and by the end of long minutes of contemplating her sad eyes, he dared to tighten his grip and press her against his bare chest. He felt her breathing deeply, and he couldn't help closing his eyes tightly once the soft skin of her face caressed him. "Don't go," he whispered to her ear.

Those two words crossed the line, and Victoire pulled away from him with surprising strength. She walked away with hurry, picked up her purse and left the flat.

After hearing the door shut abruptly, Teddy remained standing still in the middle of his living room. It didn't take him long to realize that Victoire's set of keys were resting on the small table that was next to the door.

--

_A/N: ....__Please...Don't hate me! In Fan fiction everything happens for a reason! Please comment, review, say something! Even if you feel like sending me a howler instead =( _

_Artists for this chapter: Matchbox 20 / Muse_

_**Lyrics**__**. If you're gone:**_

_I think I've already lost you _

_I think you're already gone _

_I think I'm finally scared now _

_You think I'm weak - but I think you're wrong _

_I think you're already leaving _

_Feels like your hand is on the door _

_I thought this place was an empire _

_But now I'm relaxed - I can't be sure _

_I think you're so mean - I think we should try _

_I think I could need - this in my life _

_I think I'm just scared - I think too much _

_I know this is wrong it's a problem I'm dealing _

_If you're gone - maybe it's time to go home _

_There's an awful lot of breathing room _

_But I can hardly move _

_If you're gone - baby you need to come home _

_Cuz there's a little bit of something me _

_In everything in you _

_I bet you're hard to get over _

_I bet the room just won't shine _

_I bet my hands I can stay here _

_I bet you need - more than you mind _

_I think you're so mean - I think we should try _

_I think I could need - this in my life _

_I think I'm just scared - that I know too much _

_I can't relate and that's a problem I'm feeling _

_If you're gone - maybe it's time to go home _

_There's an awful lot of breathing room _

_But I can hardly move _

_If you're gone - baby you need to come home _

_Cuz there's a little bit of something me _

_In everything in you _

_I think you're so mean - I think we should try _

_I think I could need - this in my life _

_I think I'm just scared - do I talk too much _

_I know this is wrong it's a problem I'm dealing _

_--_

_**Lyrics. Blackout:**_

_don't kid yourself_

_and don't fool yourself_

_this love's too good to last_

_and i'm too old to dream_

_don't grow up too fast_

_and don't embrace the past_

_this life's too good to last_

_and i'm too young to care_

_don't kid yourself_

_and don't fool yourself_

_this life could be the last_

_and we're too young to see_


	26. Warning Sign

_A/N: I get it__...some of you are mad at me. All I ask is for a little patience...please? Anyway, thanks for reviewing =D and especially for giving the feedback on the situation, it's been really helpful to see your perspectives! And just in case you're wondering, I know how this story ends, so I'm not just making it up as I go or anything. _

**Warning Sign**

_July__ 6, 2019_

_--_

"Try these!" said Leo, handing Victoire the grape. Victoire took it from his hands and placed it in her mouth. She shrugged.

"All right, I suppose," she said to the sweet flavour. "But you really should try the cherries, the best of my life," she expressed.

"I could waste all afternoon here and I wouldn't regret it," he assured, going through the bags of fruit he had already purchased. "Did you see the size of those bananas?"

Victoire chocked on a small piece of grape, caught between small coughs and chuckles. Leo didn't seem to notice, he was too distracted by the colours and the delights of the market.

"Tell you what," he said. "I'll go for the bananas and you'll grab the cherries and we'll meet at the tomato stand.

"Fine," she replied, turning her back on him and walking between the stands. She couldn't stop admiring the colours, the smells, the reflection of the sun on the graceful fruits, and the sounds that gave the market all its life. Getting to know Paris during the summer was as exciting as it was comforting.

She stopped at the orange stand, drawn by the beautiful shinning of the fruits.

"I thought you'd go straight for the strawberries," said a deep voice right behind her. Victoire startled and turned her head around fast, to find that a tall, blond man was standing far too close to her.

"What did you say?" she asked, with a soft, fainted tone. The voice she had heard, the way it went through her skin, wrapping her bones, made her think of one person only. She inspected the unknown face, looking for something familiar. Her breathing became short and fast paced as the man stared at her with his brown and unexplainably capturing eyes. She gasped, and then realized that although his nose was longer, simulating French features, and his lips were thicker, his small smile was warm and the same as always.

Just then she looked at his hair, which wasn't really blond, but a light shade of orange, matching the fruits on the stand, not very common for any regular guy.

"Teddy..." she whispered. He widened his shy smile.

"Hey," he said roughly, and his nose transformed slowly back to its regular size, along with his lips.

Victoire raised the right corner of her mouth, uncertain. "You're here," she whispered, not restraining her surprise. The scene suddenly became unreal. Teddy looked down at his feet for a second, then up again. "How did you find me?" she asked astonished, for she wasn't living in Paris anymore, she was spending a month in Bordeaux, but she couldn't resist coming back to Paris the few times she had the chance to.

"Fleur told me you'd be in Paris for the weekend. She gave me the name of your hotel," Teddy pointed at a small building, only a few blocks away from the market. "You weren't there so I thought I'd walk around till you got back," he explained simply.

Victoire opened her mouth, drowning in amusement. Her lips moved without sounding and a soft laugh escaped her throat. "You are actually here," she said, too astonished.

"And so are you," he said plainly, slipping his hands inside the pockets of his pants. He raised his eyes then, and looked at something in the distance. Victoire turned her head and spotted Leo. "And so is that bloke...who was feeding you grapes," Teddy announced, a small, slightly bitter smile playing on his lips. Victoire caught his somehow mortified eyes.

"Leo," she explained. "We've grown pretty close."

Teddy laughed softly, shaking his head. "Of course you have," he said, in a tone that reached Victoire's ears as bitterness. Victoire looked at her companion, who was deep in conversation with the owner of the lemon stand. Teddy frowned. "Where did you get him from?"

"He's in the program as well. He's Italian," she said as she saw how the young lemon seller smiled at whatever Leo was saying.

"Right..."he said, taking a deep breath, his eyes didn't leave the guy for a second. "He seems..." Teddy stopped, frowning even deeper, Victoire turned her head again and found Leo leaning forward on the stand, and a bit more than any common shopper would. She sighed and turned back at Teddy.

"He's gay, Teddy. I'm not even going to pretend like isn't, he's too obvious," she rolled her eyes.

Teddy opened his eyes widely, but surprise didn't last long in his features, his expression softened, freeing the remaining tension. "Oh..."

"He's a friend and as I said, we've grown pretty close."

"Oh..."

Teddy smiled, spontaneously, and although there was a trace of sadness, Victoire's throat closed at the sight of it, she breathed deeply, and let out a smile herself. "What are you doing here?" she asked patiently, ignoring the announcements of her heartbeat. Even through her arms secretly claimed to hug him, the rest of her body was steady, used to his absence. She was able to restrain herself from shortening the distance between their bodies, that uncomfortable distance which meant that they hadn't seen each other for almost five months. In an attempt to appear calm she tried to concentrate on how tired his brown eyes seemed to be.

"Um...I came to visit you, I guess. I mean, it's been quite a while and...I'm allowed to visit you, right?" he hesitated.

She breathed out. "You really came to visit me?"

Teddy nodded and shrugged afterwards, he pressed his lips together, looking uncertain. Victoire didn't do anything else to hide her sudden excitement.

"How long do you have?" she asked.

"I...I guess until tomorrow. I can't stay much longer than that."

"Great!" she said, Teddy raised his eyes and smiled gently at her approval. "You can see a lot of Paris in one afternoon."

"Paris?" He seemed thrown off. "I came to see _you_."

"Teddy, you can't come to Paris for the first time in your life and not actually _see_ it!"

Teddy laughed softly. "Alright then...Do you know anybody interested in being my guide?" Victoire nodded. She bit her lip.

"Give me a minute," she said anxiously. "Here, meanwhile have a strawberry," she offered as she pulled the fruit out of her plastic bag. Teddy took it in his hand, frowning slightly. She turned around and walked towards Leo, as calm as possible.

"I have to go," she announced to the boy who was flirting with the lemon seller.

"What? No, not yet!" he said, clenching his teeth at her.

"Not us! Me! _I_ have to go," she said, handing him her bag of fruit, he took it in a fast move. "See that guy over there?" she told him, pointing at the orange stand. Leo nodded. "Teddy," she whispered.

Leo opened his eyes. "Oh..."

"I'll see you later," she said turning around. Leo stopped her, holding her arm.

"So, that's it?" he reproached her. "He just shows up and sweeps you off your feet in three seconds? That's a very little deal of self restrain. The worst I've ever seen."

"What?" she shrieked, insulted. "No! We're friends. He came to visit me...like any friend would."

"Uhum..." he said, suspiciously. Victoire ignored his expression.

"I've told you...Teddy and I..." she turned her head around to see the man who was waiting for her. "We are...we've always been—"

"—Friends?" Leo interrupted, raising his eyebrow. "You said that already."

"I don't expect you to understand it," she retorted, freeing her arm from him.

"Fine, just be careful," he suggested, Victoire laughed mockingly.

"I don't have to be careful with Teddy," she said, before turning around and walking towards the target. Teddy's eyes were fixed in the distance once she had reached him, and Victoire knew he was still looking at Leo. She turned her head around one more time, and saw her friend giving Teddy a suspicious, unfriendly look.

But she didn't let the tension dissolve the adrenaline her body was experiencing at the moment, and before she could come to her senses she took Teddy by the elbow and dragged him out of the market.

"Where do you want to go first?" she asked him.

"Actually Victoire, I—"

"—Never mind, I'll lead you through," she said stopping to think for a moment. "Notre Dame! That might be the place to start."

He tried to reply something at first, but ended up giving into her attentive persuasion. She felt the sudden need of sharing the places that caught her breath every time she visited them, and seeing him react to them was more than satisfying, as if nothing had happened, as if the past five months had gone by pointlessly, changing absolutely nothing between them. Victoire took him to the dark and Gothic Notre Dame, where she stopped outside to explain the historical and religious meaning behind the architecture, a place she had sat in front of countless times during her first months in the city. She then convinced him to apparate at the _Arc de Triomphe_ as well, and walked him as much as possible, so he could feel the sunny afternoon in his skin as much as she did.

Any amount of awkwardness, discomfort there had been between them faded within the first twenty minutes. Teddy's attitude softened, and although he seemed uneasy at times, she was certain he was letting himself be captured by the architecture, the summer day and maybe, a bit by her excitement of having him there.

"What about the Eiffel Tower?" he asked, as they walked by the Seine River. "You're not taking me there?"

"Um...of course! But, well, Leo and I kind of got kicked out of there once."

"Why I'm a not surprised?" he asked, laughing softly, the sound got caught somewhere in Victoire's chest. "What did you do? Move it to The Netherlands?"

"Very funny. Well...we didn't have much Muggle money with us that day, so we kind of apparated up there instead..."

Teddy shook his head, but laughed as she gave him her best _I won't do it again_ look.

"You broke into the Eiffel Tower..." he said, shaking his head.

"Hey, we were very careful. Nobody saw us apparating, but once we were up there the security guy asked to see our ticket, and well...he made us leave, and asked us to never return."

For the first time during that afternoon he grabbed her hand. Victoire's first impulse demanded her to avoid the touch of his skin, but she managed to fool the impulse, and allowed his hand to wrap hers. "I'll take _you_, then," he offered, pulling her gently as he walked. "I'm assuming is that building over there?" he mocked, pointing at the tower.

--

"So, that friend of yours...Leo," said Teddy, once they were leaning on the iron rails of the second stage of Paris' most famous structure. Victoire looked down at the figures that represented houses and short buildings.

"What about him?" she asked softly.

"He seems to despise me."

Victoire smiled lightly. "Where did you get _that_ from?" she teased.

"From his _get away from Victoire_ look," he chuckled, almost sadly. "I've used that look many times before, I know how to recognize it."

She sighed, pressing her lips together tightly. "He met me in a...difficult time, that's all."

"I get it. To him I'm the bad guy," Teddy said, Victoire looked at him solemnly. Teddy stared at the grey line that was the Seine river, and then at her again. "Am I the bad guy to you?" he questioned. "Because, that's all I care about, what _you_ think."

Victoire's following smile was weak. "There is no bad guy," she gave out, knowing that it was a poor answer for him. "I love how it looks from up here," she changed the subject. Teddy looked at the city again. "It's like a painting. Everything looks so... "

"Peaceful," he completed. Victoire nodded.

"It does. I use to come up quite a lot when I spent the first three months here, not as much as I would have wanted, though. The entrance's kind of expensive."

"You can always just apparate here, and then get kicked out by security," Teddy suggested. Victoire hit his shoulder with her closed fist, he simply grinned. A small moment of silence.

"I wish I had time to take you to The _Musée du Louvre_. There's so much for you to see," she said in resignation.

"Take me wherever you want," Teddy offered, his voice low, soft, a tone she would recognize from any length, even if he were disguised. When she looked up she found that his brown eyes were once again concentrating on her. Victoire didn't breathe, to avoid any sudden move, she then looked down, at the Notre Dame.

"Hungry? Sun's setting down. We better go," she said evasively.

--

If there was something Paris had it was countless cafes to dine or spent lazy afternoons in. Victoire and Teddy settled at a small restaurant, in an outdoors table, where the fresh air of the night fell upon them.

She talked unstoppably, about the things he still had to see in Paris, the towns she had lived in so far thanks to the program, the people she had met, the food, the music, especially the music. Teddy smiled during the entire monologue, and then she realized she had never talked so much or so fast in her entire life.

"I'm sorry, I'm getting out of hand..." she said when she stopped the chatter.

"No, that's alright, I want to know," he said, leaning forward.

"No, I'm just talking about myself. It's just that...there are so many things I always want to tell you about! And I never really get to."

"Then tell me..." he said simply.

"I can't, you're not here, and you almost never write," she said, words had fallen bitterly out of her mouth. She hadn't meant it, she had been doing a great job at leaving it behind.

Teddy looked away, his expression grave. "I know..." he murmured. "I thought it was for the best." He stared at the rest of the tables, and suddenly got caught staring at one in particular. Victoire looked in his direction and spotted a couple cuddled in a dark table on a corner, their lips moving slowly against one another. The man ran his fingers down the woman's black hair, and Victoire got Goosebumps just by the sight of it. She looked away and heard Teddy chuckle.

"They seem to be into each other," she said, staring at the street instead.

"Can you blame them?" Teddy shrugged, and once again she saw the gentle, yet sad smile playing on his lips. Teddy leaned forward, and placed his fingers over her hand, which had been resting on the table. "Victoire," he whispered, preparing himself for something.

But whatever it was that he was getting ready for, Victoire sure wasn't. "Pay," she spoke out. "We have to pay!" she said then and slid her hand away, to call the waiter with a gesture. Teddy didn't say anything else.

--

The uncomfortable air that captured them could have been enough to build a silence as they walked back to her hotel. But Victoire's nerves made her talk once again about the city, and Teddy listened carefully one more time. She fully noticed how he often opened his mouth, but never interrupted her, and she didn't want to think that he was waiting for a moment of silence to say something.

"...There are still so many museums you have to see. And the _Venus de Milo_. She's so beautiful. Is too bad you have to go tomorrow," she admitted, and for a moment fell into silence. Teddy stopped walking and looked at her intently. There was nothing in her head to fill the moment, she suddenly found that she had ran out of ways to avoid him, to avoid whatever it was he had been meaning to say. Teddy approached her, she could feel his breathing, soothing and melodic as always.

"If you want...I can come back," he said softly.

"Teddy, you can come whenever you want," she replied, shrugging, giving the subject little importance. She tried to smile at him, but his face was too serious.

She didn't see that his hand was moving until he set it on her cheek, his thumb caressed her skin lightly, and his face was soon leaning towards hers. "That's not what I meant," he whispered, and then smiled softly.

"What are you really here for, Teddy?" she finally asked, with the little strength her lungs lend her. Teddy's mouth moved closer, she could sense his entire being now. "A one night stand? Because it's going to take you more than that to get a one night stand out of me."

Teddy shook his head. "That's not why I'm here…"

"Then?"

His expression saddened, he breathed deeply. "You don't know how much I miss you," he said, taking the liberty to rub his thumb over her lips.

"What?"

"I want you…"he whispered, almost to her mouth.

"WHAT?" she shrieked, releasing herself from him.

"Victoire..."

"No!" she said, raising her hands to stop him, as she took a step back on the sidewalk. "Stop it! Are you mocking me?"

"Of course not! Why would I—"

"—You are actually serious? You want me _back_?" she said. Teddy stared at her, and Victoire shook her head aggressively. "I can't believe this!" she said, small laughs of irony leaving her lips.

"I know what you're thinking—"

"—No you don't. You have no idea what I'm thinking right now."

"I'm sorry..." he said weakly. "I just—I can't—I need you."

"Oh my—and _this _is when you come back? After _five_ months you realize how much you miss me?" she said, almost too exasperate to talk.

"I tried not to come but I couldn't help it—"

"—How dare you? Do you have any idea of what the past months have been like? It was hell over here! And then you simply come back? Just like that? Because you are sure that I'm going to take you in, aren't you?"

"You don't know what it's been like for me—"

"—I don't care! What are you? Some kind of masochist? I mean, FIVE MONTHS! That's how long it took you to come back? I can't believe you."

"Victoire..." he pleaded

"You broke up with me, and you let me leave! You didn't do anything back then. You practically shut me out, and then you began to treat me like a friend. Your letters..the things you said. You never—I actually thought that was all I had left from you."

"I know! And I'm sorry! I thought I was doing the right thing...but, I was wrong. I—"

"—No, Teddy. You made a choice, stick to it."

"That's exactly what I've been trying to do but—"

"—it's too late!" she said, laughing again bitterly. "I was so sure you were coming back! I was so positive! I was so _stupid_. I stopped waiting for you months ago! _This_ is when you show up? And what did you have mind, what did you think I would do? Do you even have a good reason?"

"No! I don't have anything. I didn't come here to justify myself, I came here for you. And I know I shouldn't but these months have been...you have no idea—"

"Yes, I have a _slight_ impression of what the past months have been like," she said harshly.

"I can't keep it up without you," he admitted, short of breath.

Another chuckle left Victoire's throat. "You really are a masochist. You're going to have to figure a way, like I did."

"Victoire..." he said, trying to grab her waist, but her evasive moves were sharper.

"NO! Stop saying my name, stop touching me, stop breathing near my neck. Just stop! Stop doing the things you always did to get what you wanted from me. You wanted us to be friends, Teddy? There, that's what we are! We're friends, family, you can call it whatever you want. So, just: stop!" she said dryly. She didn't stop to study his expression as she tried to calm herself down. She took a deep breath and gave herself a moment.

"You know what I hate the most?" she said, looking at his hurt eyes. "That you were right. It wouldn't have worked. You were right the whole time. You were right about me, and I hate to admit it...and that's what makes your visit even more pointless. I'm not going backwards, Teddy," she said, as cold as she could. The anger didn't allow her to control her voice. Teddy's face became more painful with her last words, but he didn't move, as if he didn't have the strength to move an inch of his body.

"Teddy, you better go," she demanded, looking elsewhere. He shook his head, swallowing hard. "Fine. I'll go," she said.

"Victoire, please don't do this," he pleaded weakly. She avoided his eyes when she apparated away from him, not even bothering to check if any Muggle saw her disappearing.

--

_A/N: Any dialogue between Leo and Victoire is supposed to be in flawed French, although he speaks a little English. _

_Artist: Coldplay_

_--_

_A warning sign,_

_I missed the good part then I realized,_

_I started looking and the bubble burst._

_I started looking for excuses._

_Come on in,_

_I've gotta tell you what a state I'm in,_

_I've gotta tell you in my loudest tones,_

_That I started looking for a warning sign._

_When the truth is, _

_I miss you._

_Yeah the truth is, _

_That I miss you so._

_A warning sign,_

_You came back to haunt me and I realized,_

_That you were an island and I passed you by,_

_You were an island to discover._

_Come on in,_

_I've gotta tell you what state I'm in,_

_I've gotta tell you in my loudest tones,_

_That I started looking for a warning sign._

_When the truth is, _

_I miss you._

_Yeah the truth is, _

_That I miss you so._

_And I'm tired, _

_I should not have let you go._

_So I crawl back into your open arms._

_Yes, I crawl back into your open arms._

_And I crawl back into your open arms._

_Yes, I crawl back into your open arms..._


	27. How Do you Love?

**How Do You Love?**

_June 6, 2020_

_--_

Andromeda's expression went from ordinary to pleasently surprised the moment she opened the door to her house.

"Would you look at that!" she said, raising her eyebrow. "It was about time I got to see your face, young lady," she scolded, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

"Andromeda, you'll make me feel worse than I already do!" replied Victoire, from the other side of the door, wrinkling her nose in an apologetic gesture. Andromeda's smile was warmer than ever and her hug was tight to enough to relax Victoire in a few seconds.

"Did you forget you had family in this country?" said Andromeda, as they walked inside. Victoire apologized countless times; until Teddy's grandmother interrupted her announcing that she was going to prepare a pot of tea for the two of them.

Victoire intended to follow Andromeda to the kitchen, but on her way through the house she found it impossible not to stop to contemplate the living room. Same as always, not a single thing had been moved.

"_When did you arrive?__"_ asked Andromeda from the kitchen.

"Yesterday morning," she replied, wondering around, trying to find if something was different.

"_I paid a visit to Molly two days ago. She didn't say anything about you coming__ home."_

"I showed up without notice. I got a little homesick..."

The cushions of the couch were still a light shade of yellow, and the carpet was the same one she had spilled Pumpkin juice when she was eight. Well, spill was a delicate word for it, she had actually thrown the glass at Teddy because she had challenged him to freeze the glass in the air. Of course no such thing happened and Teddy was left drenching with pumpkin juice all over his red hair, but especially all over the beige carpet.

Victoire smiled lightly, but then recognized a miniature, younger version of her own smile in a picture on the chimney. She walked up to the fireplace and wandered her eyes over the photographs. There was one of a younger version of Andromeda holding in her arms a three year old Teddy with black hair. Another picture showed a couple, sitting in the same couch with yellow cushions that was behind Victoire. The woman's hair was long, straight, and a beautiful shade of purple. The man, who was sitting next to her, looked older but in spite of his tired eyes he seemed as radiant as the woman. His hand was posed on the protuberance of her stomach.

But the picture that Victoire chose to pick up was the one that held two kids, sitting on the dirt and waving at the camera. The boy of the picture, whose hair was a dark shade of purple, was covered in mud. The girl, whose feet were naked and whose hair was completely wet smiled widely. Occasionally, the girl covered the boy's hair with more wet dirt. Victoire's smile grew a few more inches, and she felt herself chuckling as she saw the boy losing his patience and throwing the girl a small amount of mud to her face.

"Two spoons of sugar?" asked Andromeda. Victoire settled the picture in its place and turned around.

"Yes," she said weakly before following her to the kitchen. She sat down on the same white chair she always chose before and received her cup of tea. "You still have that picture of us," she pointed out. Andromeda sat down on the table, in front of Victoire.

"Why would I take it off?" she asked, a spoon voluntarily stirring her tea. "It makes me smile whenever I look at it," she said through a grin. "When you two were kids, every time you got together to play one of you ended up mad, with a bruise, crying, or in the worst scenario: bleeding." Andromeda shook her head, Victoire smiled. "And then you both always wanted to see the other one again. A vicious circle, I think," she side chuckling before drinking from her cup.

"Yes, it was," Victoire admitted, starring at the fire place, through the open door.

"Besides, Teddy really likes it."

"Likes what?" Victoire turned her head abruptly.

"The picture," she said simply. Victoire nodded. "Have you seen him yet? Teddy?"

"No, I haven't," she answered, and grabbed the cup to drink the beverage. "Not yet. How is he?"

"He's alright." Andromeda looked intently at Victoire, and the girl knew exactly where she was heading with her sight.

"I already know. I know he has a girlfriend," she said, pressing her lips together, trying to put an end to the woman's need to make the uncomfortable announcement. She might as well save her the trouble, and she appreciated her desire to be subtle. Andromeda nodded, seeming relieved to know that the information had already reached Victoire's ears.

"I see. Dominique?" she asked.

"Yes, she wrote me the minute she found out, during Easter Week. He took her to my Grand's house, after all."

The news had reached Victoire during a warm Sunday morning, as she had breakfast at her favourite cafe. Dominique wrote her two parchments of the incident, explaining how horrified she was of having to meet Teddy's new girlfriend at The Burrow. Nobody in the family, except for probably Andromeda, knew he was seeing anybody, but he showed up on a Saturday with a girl Dominique described from head to toes, emphasizing on the things she disliked the most.

According to her younger sister the name of the 'intruder', as she liked to call her, was Chloe. Victoire was certain that during the entire visit Dominique didn't take her eyes off the newcomer. She knew by the length and the detail of the letter. Her sister's descriptions had been too _passionate_, to say the very least. She had described Chloe as a weird woman with a disturbingly creepy smile.

Once Victoire had read the testament she simply folded it up and placed it in her purse. She was sure she had taken it well, partly because she had expected something like that. Still, she didn't feel like answering until a week had gone by.

She only read the letter once, but she remembered each word clearly. The entire thing had carved inside her head, even when she was sure that it made no difference in her everyday life if Teddy was with someone or not.

According to Dominique Teddy confessed that he had been seeing the girl since last January, they met at the Daily Prophet's anniversary party. But the thing that really stuck in Victoire's head was how badly Dominique assured her how uncomfortable Teddy seemed with the whole situation, as if he didn't want to be there. Dominique even pointed out that the minute he saw an opportunity he left The burrow with Chloe. Victoire didn't get it, because Teddy would never bring anyone if he felt that uncomfortable with her. She chose then to pretend like none of Dominique observations had a good basis. She could have been exaggerating, after all.

"Just...out of mere curiosity...how serious do you suppose it is?" She felt free to ask. Andromeda wasn't going to sell their talk to Teddy, Victoire was sure of that.

"Well…Teddy is not a boy known to play with girls so…"

"I get it," Victoire answered. "Good," she shrugged and her lips searched for the steaming beverage. Andromeda's frown made Victoire look down at her cup.

"Really, Andromeda, I think it's great," Victoire rushed herself to say. A warm relief filled her chest when she heard noises coming from the living room, the chimney in particular. Someone had walked in, but she didn't lean forward to see who that person was. The warm relief soon turned into a cold shiver that went all the way up her spine. She had recognized the voice that had entered and once she heard a female voice invading the living room as well, Victoire confirmed her fears.

She looked straight at Andromeda's firm face, her hands holding the cup tightly. The woman must have seen the terror written in the girl's face, because her hand moved to touch Victoire's shoulder softly. Her smile was brief but solid. Victoire heard the voice she was so inevitably familiar with, asking something out loud.

"I'm in the kitchen," answered Andromeda, removing her hand from Victoire's suddenly cold shoulder. The girl breathed deeply, almost forgetting to exhale. She turned around and the first thing that caught her eyes was Teddy's black hair, cut unevenly, a bit of a revel in his look.

"I invited Chloe over, hope that's al—" The boy stopped cold under the door frame to the kitchen. His expression wasn't clear. He didn't seem to believe what he was seeing, like struggling in a battle between his eyes and his common sense. It took him a few seconds to suddenly develop a smile, wide and clear towards Victoire. He was short of breath, or so it seemed to her, who was certainly noticing that she was feeling breathless herself.

"Hey," she whispered serenely, standing up from the chair. Her moves made him react, and soon enough he was walking up to her with his smile intact, wrapping her in the tightest of hugs.

"What—when—I didn't know you were here!" he said, and his voice sounded pleasantly surprised. He let go of her quickly but he didn't wash the smile off his face.

"Hello Mrs. Tonks," said the female Victoire hadn't bothered to look at. She turned her head and got a first close look as the woman directed herself at Teddy's grandmother, who answered warm and politely.

She couldn't help it. Her eyes instinctively detailed her, just like Dominique had done weeks ago.

She hated her sister for a moment, because the girl didn't have a creepy smile at all. It was a soft smile, warm in a way, friendly even. Maybe too friendly, and that's why Dominique found it creepy. Her hair, straight, and a very pale shade of red reached her jaw line evenly. Meanwhile her thin figure posed somewhat elegantly. Victoire breathed in on more time.

"When did you get here? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Teddy asked , directing himself entirely to her.

"Victoire doesn't need to announce she's coming. She's always welcome…" said Andromeda. Victoire smiled but her eyes decided to stay only on Teddy's.

"Just yesterday. I came for a little family visit, that's all," she said, forcing a smile.

"Still...you could have told me," he replied softly, and for a moment she wondered if the following silence was uncomfortable for her only. But Teddy reacted eventually and turned around, to face the woman Victoire wanted to avoid looking at again.

"Chloe, this is Victoire. Victoire, Chloe." Teddy turned to gaze at Victoire once again, his smile had suddenly faded. "Chloe is my—"

"—your girlfriend!" she filled in. Her next smile was so forced that it actually hurt her skin, and she couldn't keep it up for longer than a minute.

"Nice to finally meet you, I've heard so much about you," Chloe said pleasantly. Victoire could say the exact same thing back, but she felt more comfortable nodding than talking at the moment. Her way of keeping her welcoming smile up made Victoire's stomach shrink, because something in the woman's tone made her feel like nothing more than a visitor, and suddenly Victoire felt that although nothing had physically changed inside the house, a lot had certainly changed during the past year, and Victoire was nothing but a picture on a fireplace.

"It's so great to see you," Teddy's voice said. His soft, deep tone made her turn to him. "You haven't come here since—"

"—Christmas." Victoire said, recalling her last visit to England, during which she had tried, Teddy had tried, and even their family had tried to act naturally, like nothing had gone on or was going on between them.

Surprisingly enough they managed to keep the act together during the holidays, but she was clear it was nothing more than that: an act, because she didn't feel capable of being left alone in a room with him. For that very same reason she turned down his few attempts of planning things for them to do together alone, and Teddy got the signal quite quick and didn't push the subject with her.

Everything went rather smoothly until New Year's, because during the family's Christmas party he took the first opportunity he found to take her by the hand and pull her out of the living room and into an empty room of The Burrow.

During that brief, private moment, Teddy didn't say a word, but his intentions were more than direct. At first Victoire allowed him to place his hand under her chin, to press his body against hers, to kiss her jaw line softly; just as much as she allowed herself to grasp his arms tightly with her hands, and feel his scent over her skin. Victoire understood then that he had one too many glasses of punch, which made him aim for her lips indiscreetly.

She slipped herself from his grip, and left him to return to the party. She decided to attribute his actions to the holiday, and didn't mention it during the rest of her visit. Of course, neither did him. Victoire hadn't stopped to realize that that night had put an end to Teddy's hopes of them becoming more than friends again, because that next January he met someone to move on with.

"Would you like some tea, Chloe?" Andromeda asked, interrupting Victoire's thoughts and constant stare on Teddy.

But Chloe didn't just accept the invitation, as any sporadic visitor would. She offered to help, and although the girl didn't know that the cups were in the top drawer on the left side of the stove, Victoire contemplated her determination of helping out, and understood then that Chloe had no intentions of being sporadic. She was aiming for something else.

"Victoire would you like some more?" asked Chloe, holding the teapot. Victoire shook her head.

"No—actually, I—I have to go."

"Now? You have to go now?" jumped Teddy.

"Yes, now. I haven't seen my grand yet. I really do have to go," she said, almost pleading. She turned to Andromeda, who was standing calmly. She was sure she saw a trace of comfort in her eyes.

Teddy wrinkled his face, but said nothing.

"Alright, then," he shrugged in disappointed. "But hey, why don't you come with us tonight. We're having some drinks at the leaky."

Victoire's eyes widened. He must be joking, surely, he must be joking.

But the hope that developed across Teddy's face within the next seconds made Victoire want to kick him.

"What?" she asked, still astonished to the ridiculous proposition Teddy was establishing. "Um...no, I don't think I—"

"Oh , come on..." he insisted. "The guys are coming. I'm sure they'd love to see you."

"The guys?" Victoire said. Seeing Teddy's friends for the first time in over a year would certainly be pleasant. But awkward, it would also be stupid and awkward. "Well...I don't know, I mean, I sort of came to visit my parents, I—"

"—they won't mind. Come on...just a couple of drinks."

"Yes, Victoire, come with us," encouraged Chloe, who was already sitting at the table next to Andromeda, a cup of tea in her hands. Her smile, wide and secure made Victoire understand why Dominique didn't like her from the beginning.

Suddenly it became personal, if the new girlfriend was secure enough to extend the invitation, then the former girlfriend was certainly brave enough to accept it. Victoire didn't notice that the cold rush that was going up her head was nothing but the inevitable sensation that made her accept the challenge.

"Fine..." she sighed. "What time should I meet you there?"

--

Victoire didn't stop bickering as she made her way through Diagon Alley.

"_Are you Alright?" _her mother had asked, before Louis, but after Dominique.

"Yes, of course I'm alright," she had answered. She rolled her eyes to the memory of it. The only person who didn't ask her anything was her father, and she felt amazingly grateful for it. She was forced to leave the house early, because the pity looks of her relatives were getting on her nerves surprisingly fast.

Of course she was alright. She was fine. Having drinks with Teddy's girlfriend was awkward, bizarre maybe, but no more than that. She was going to have to do it eventually, with her or any other. They had to break the ice, because some day it could be Victoire the one to bring someone home and _he_ would have to meet him as well.

Victoire stopped. That was going to be it. From now on they were going to have to deal with their lives in a very different way. She would have to put up with Miss Smiley faces and Teddy was eventually going to have to deal with whoever she decided to date in the, preferably short future. Victoire hated the sudden shortness of breath. She had been expecting every single thing that was going on, but she had not expected it to be so hard. She had managed to turn him down twice after their break up and they both had concentrated on retaking the friendship that had connected them before they even got together.

Being with Teddy, writing to him, talking to him, none of that was hard to do, it came out as a natural thing. It was vital, she couldn't help being there for him, even if that didn't affect the fact that during the past year she had assured him that she wasn't going to take him back, simply because the process of getting over him had been as hard as it had been painful. Once had been enough.

She had come to the conclusion that they were destined to keep their relationship going, even if it was as mere friends. It had been too many years knowing each other, her entire life time, to be exact.

And that alone: acknowledging that the urge to keep their connection alive was stronger than ever, made her walk forward to the entrance of The Leaky Cauldron.

She silently begged that she didn't have to put up with Jack, Bob and Claire's pity eyes as well, because her family was more than enough.

"Vicky!!!" a loud male voice said. Victoire's body relaxed at the sight of Bob. She shook her head and rolled her eyes at him, a smile spreading widely across her face.

"Oh no, not the nickname..." she complained dramatically. "I wish you had forgotten it."

"Admit it, you missed it to death," he said throwing his arm over her shoulders.

She had been the last one to arrive, and both Jack and Bob received her with grins and compliments. She smiled at Teddy from the distance. His face alone, the relief of seeing her there was enough reason for her to know that she had done the right thing by attending. She was certain now, that she had to do it if that made him happy. He didn't stand up though; his shoulders were wrapped with Chloe's long arm, who smiled widely at Victoire, once again.

Having Jack and Bob there couldn't have been more opportune. She sat between the two of them, and being next to Jack's gallantry and Bob's odd sense of humour made her remember of the great times she once spent with them.

"Can we get those drinks, now?" asked Jack with excitement, rubbing the palms of his hands.

"What about Claire?" asked Victoire. "Isn't she coming?"

"Haven't you heard?" said Jack. "Claire got married a month ago, to a Russian Healer that worked with her at St. Mungu's. She lives in Moscow now."

"Really? That's great!" Victoire said.

"It was a small, beautiful wedding," Chloe added. Victoire couldn't stop her heart from shrinking. _Chloe _had been at the wedding, Victoire didn't even know that one of Teddy's best friends had gotten married.

"How do you like that?" Bob cut in. "She abandoned us all."

"What did you expect, she's a woman. They do that, they're all ungrateful," Jack said, waving his hand at one of the waiters.

"Shut up, both of you," retorted Victoire, chuckling. She heard Chloe's laugh but when she looked up front she got caught in Teddy's small smile. But, in less than three seconds Chloe's hand caressed Teddy's cheek, making Victoire turn her head away, fast enough to miss the scene.

"Teddy? Victoire?" she heard a woman say. Once she looked up she confirmed that it was in fact Hanna Longbottom the person who had called them, the same who used to give her and Teddy free butterbeers every time they came into The Leaky Cauldron. Victoire smiled and saluted back as politely as she could.

"Look at you, you get more beautiful with each year," Hanna said, pressing her hand against Victoire's cheek warmly. "How's France? I hear you work there now."

"It's...wonderful," she said simply. "How are Neville and Anya? I haven't seen them in such a long time."

"Well, I can say I'm glad the school year is almost over, I'll have them back in a couple of weeks," she said through a smile. "So? What can I get you?" she asked, and Victoire couldn't help noticing the way Hanna's eyes shifted to the arm Chloe was wrapping Teddy with. But her discretion allowed her to look away fast.

"Who's having Firewhiskey?" asked Jack. Bob raised his hand lightly and so did Victoire. She didn't feel like going through the evening alcohol free.

"I'll just have a soda," Chloe added.

"Alright then, three Firewhiskeys, a soda and...Teddy? Firewhiskey for you as well?" Hanna asked to the boy who had remained silent for the past minutes.

"Teddy doesn't drink," said the two women at the table, in unison, their voices almost crashing against each other. The answer had come out from Victoire's lips with nature; she hadn't realized that now she was supposed to keep most of her knowledge of him to herself. Teddy looked at them both, first Chloe, then Victoire, back and forth. Victoire didn't even dare to look at Chloe, and found the people in the next table more interesting.

Teddy cleared his throat within the next seconds. "Make it four Firewhiskeys," he said to Hanna.

"We forgot, Teddy only drinks during situations of severe stress," Bob murmured. Victoire turned to him with a delicate but powerful killing eye, and Jack didn't mind laughing out loud.

"Um...alright then, I'll—I'll send the waiter with your drinks," Hanna said, staring at the girls for a moment before performing a polite but quick getaway.

From then on Teddy's expression of relief turned into genuine tension. He was awfully quiet, Victoire couldn't stop staring into his eyes every so often. But the sensation of having a watchful eye on herself disturbed her. She wanted to capture his sight for two seconds, without Chloe staring at them. She wanted to ask him with a single look what the hell had he been thinking for arranging that reunion in the first place.

Chloe, on the other hand, was surprisingly comfortable. Her arms didn't stop touching him for more than a minute. Her fingers meddled through his brown hair, his arms and his hands. And she was always the first one to feed any of Jack or Bob's conversation topics. At one point, while the three of them discussed the possibilities the Ballycastle Bats had to win next year's Quidditch world Cup, Victoire saw in Teddy's expression that he felt just as out of place as she did.

Having him sitting right in front of her increased her desire to communicate with him. She finally caught the sight of his brown eyes. She shrugged and the corner of his mouth lifted, slowly turning into a full grin. Victoire's eyes were firm and direct, and once she shook her head at him she knew by his spontaneous chuckle and the way he looked down at the table that he was admitting that the gathering of old and new friends wasn't working out for the two of them.

"What?" asked Chloe, turning around, cutting short the argument she had been giving Jack. "What are you laughing at?" she said softly.

"Nothing," he replied, the grin still painted in his face. "No big deal."

"So, Victoire, what exactly are you working at? Ted says you don't plan to come back to England," Jack said, developing a new subject of conversation, he seemed to have the ability of filling in the silences.

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far!" Victoire replied. "I'm just trying it out in Paris, that's all. I'm working at the Ministry's Department of Dark Magic Research," she explained.

"Sound fancy...and complicated," Jack frowned. "What do you do there exactly?"

"Well, I handle specific cases of uses and creation of Dark Magic."

"So, you like...break down curses? You find the counter spells?" Bob asked.

"I'm not entitled to provide that kind of information," Victoire said with a mocking, intellectual tone of voice.

"So, you deal with unsolved cases? Stuff Aurors can't decipher?" said jack.

"I can't answer you that either," she said again, shrugging.

"Oh come on!" Jack insisted. "I bet you have access to some of France most juicy mysteries!"

"I'm sorry...can't say a word," she continued, smiling.

"You know..." Teddy intervened, after drinking from his glass. "I could use someone like you here, at the Department of Mysteries, as an insider that is," he suggested as he grinned.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but we do not deal with journalists. Security does," replied Victoire with an innocent tone. Jack laughed out spontaneously and, to her surprise, so did Chloe.

"Cute..." said Teddy sarcastically, throwing her a private smile.

"Hey, Ted has gotten kicked out of the Ministry before, haven't you Ted?" Bob said.

"You got kicked out of the Ministry of Magic?" Chloe asked, astonished, somewhat horrified.

"Thanks a lot Bob," Teddy retorted. "That was only one time, and that auror paid his bad humour with me."

"Well, what do you know? Teddy's socializing skills are flawed after all!" replied Victoire with a few laughs. Teddy raised his eyebrow at her, the way he did every time she mocked him. "Well, that's when your metamorphic abilities come in handy. You can transform you face and walk right in. That's more than what most journalists can say," said Victoire.

"What makes you think I didn't do that?"

"And...?"

"And...I got kicked out again," Teddy explained, repressing an ashamed smile. The people on table burst into laughter and Teddy raised both of his hands, freeing himself from Chloe's grip for the first time during that night. "Fine, fine, laugh all you want."

"You should have turned into a woman instead. That would have worked," Victoire suggested.

"Yeah, I wasn't going to do _that_. I'm sure your veela skills would have done the trick, though," Teddy retorted at Victoire, before drinking again.

"I do not have—"

"—You're part veela?" Chloe asked Victoire, her jaw dropping.

"Yeah, didn't I tell you?" said Teddy as his girlfriend turned to face him.

"No…you didn't…"

"I'm not part veela. I've never been. My mum is, but I didn't get it from her."

"Oh, please, you've never seen the way men stare at you when you walk past them? Don't pretend like you don't notice," Jack interrupted.

"Yeah...there's something...what is it? Is it her hair?" Bob thought intently, staring at her.

"Guys, cut it out..." Victoire said as she felt a rush of blood filling her cheeks. Not only did the conversation embarrass her, but she felt the air tensing somewhere near Chloe's area.

"Her scent!" said Jack, snapping his fingers. "They're something in her scent that makes men turn around."

"Jack!" she scolded, positive of how red her face was becoming.

"Hey, stop it. Both of you," Teddy ordered strictly at his two friends.

"We're only joking!" complained Jack between laughs.

"Yeah, well, she's had enough now," he insisted, and Victoire couldn't help smiling at him.

"I don't see why you're so embarrassed Victoire. I'm guessing having veela features gets you your way often, and that sounds pretty cool," Chloe said. At that moment Victoire looked up at her, the comment didn't sound sarcastic or as a joke, she was seriously interested in knowing more about Victoire, or at least getting a full sentence out of her.

"That's what I always tell her. But she never listens," Teddy added. Victoire chuckled to the entire situation. Having the attention of the entire table drawn towards her was too much at the moment, she needed for it to stop.

"Does your sister have that...quality?" Chloe asked again, Victoire seriously wished for the subject to drop dead at that instant.

"No, I seriously doubt it from Dominique. But you've met my brother and sister, right? During Easter Week..."

"Yes!" she said suddenly excited. "Louis is such a sweetheart. I didn't get a chance to really talk to Dominique though."

"I'm sure you didn't," Victoire murmured, quite embarrassed by the picture she was making in her head of Dominique's behaviour. She had probably been too obvious in her disapproval to be missed by Chloe. A small moment of silence went by, and Victoire wondered what the hell was taking Jack so long to fill in with something. He must have run out of topics.

"So, really Victoire, whatever happened to your friend Evelyn? Jack's dying to know…" Bob interfered. Victoire laughed immediately at the look on Jack's face, who didn't seem pleased with the request.

"Well…are you ready to hear this?" Victoire asked.

"Probably not, Another round!" yelled Jack. Victoire slapped his shoulder playfully. Again, she could hear Chloe's laugh from the other end of the table and at that point she was acknowledging that the sound of her voice had a weird, unpleasant effect on her.

"She joined the Magical Peace society."

"What?"

"Yes! Last week she sent me a letter from New Delhi! Let me tell you, her parents weren't pleased at all. She's leaving to Africa in a couple of weeks."

"Wow...that woman is...unpredictable…" Jack said, his eyes wide, but pleasantly astonished.

"And I love her for that…"said Victoire, winking an eye at Jack. He laughed shortly and quietly. Victoire looked at Teddy once to smile, and found that his eyes were sweet enough to make her feel less uncomfortable for the rest of the night.

--

"Are you coming to the game tomorrow, Chloe?" Bob asked, as they all walked out of The Leaky Cauldron.

"Yes! I'll meet you there. Victoire, why don't you come with us?" Chloe said. Victoire shook her head immediately.

"Oh, no. I mean, Quidditch and I, we don't do well together," Victoire replied, thankful for her lack of interest in the sport.

"Oh...right," she said, somehow disappointed. "Neither does Teddy."

"I know..." she recalled how much his name was being pronounced by her lips. Chloe called him _Teddy_, like his family did, like _she_ did. Not that it was a very original nickname or anything but that was somehow reserved for family...and for her. Not even his closest friends called him that way, and now she couldn't help noticing how much she had pronounced it during the night.

"Well, do you know how long you'll be staying in England? Because there's this great Antiques shop I could take you to. Teddy told me how much you love antiques."

The comment took Victoire by surprise, and at that moment she knew what Teddy was doing. She looked at him and confirmed that his eyes had travelled to her neck, specifically to the locket that hung from it. Victoire looked away from him, the last she needed was for him to make a big deal out of the fact that she hadn't taken it off.

"Um...yes, I guess we could do that. I think I'll be staying for a week or so," she said to Chloe, who gave her a satisfied smile. "I better get going," she said quickly.

"Vic, we'll take you home," Teddy offered.

"No!" That would have been most unnecessary, over the top. She needed to get some space away from the couple. "That's fine. You don't have to..."

"I don't have to, but I want to," he insisted, lowering his voice as he walked up to her.

"Teddy, I can walk to a place and I'll apparate from there. You and Chloe don't have to bother."

"It's alright, we don't mind," Chloe interrupted. Victoire breathed deep to keep herself together.

"Hey, we'll take Victoire home," Jack offered.

"Yes! See? Bob and Jack will make sure I get home safely. I'll manage Teddy," she said, taking a step forward herself so he could hear her properly. "I'm not a little girl. I can look after myself." Teddy's back straightened, he nodded, his face suddenly strict.

"I know that..." he said quietly. He turned around for a moment, and Victoire saw something she wasn't sure she understood. Chloe had thrown him a sharp look, as if insisting silently to something. Teddy turned back towards Victoire and lowered his voice as much as he could.

"Listen Vic, there's something I need you to—well, I..."

"What is it, Teddy?" she asked impatiently.

"Well, you see, there are some things at my place, things you left, things you never took with you. And I don't really mind having them there but—"

"—I'll go pick them up. I'll go tomorrow."

"It's okay, no pressure, you can—"

"—I said I'll go tomorrow, Teddy," she cut him. Teddy nodded and looked straight into her eyes, but she didn't feel intimidated as she normally would. She didn't feel he was reading her face, simply because she was too expressionless.

She forced a very quick goodbye and took off with Jack and Bob as fast as possible.

"That was…strange," Jack said as he walked.

"Weird, that was all very weird," Bob filled in.

"Completely unnecessary," Victoire finished. "What was I thinking? And what the hell was Teddy thinking for setting this up in the first place?"

"Yes, well, for what it's worth, he seemed to have spent a lousy time," Bob said with an encouraging tone. "I have a question, though. What's up with you and Chloe? You're best friends now?"

"Like sisters," Jack mocked, with a forced loving tone.

"Shut up. I'm still trying to figure that out."

Bob laughed softly, before throwing his arm over Victoire's shoulders. "Hey, I know you might feel like hating her right now, but she's not that bad."

"Hate her? I don't hate her!" she jumped.

"Right...so you're fine with this? You're alright?" Jack cut in.

"Yes! You know...people keep asking me that...why do people keep asking me that?"

Jack laughed out loud, indiscreetly. Bob smiled, and looked at her before speaking again.

"Hey, don't blame us for worrying about you," said Bob. "If you were the one showing up with some bloke, Ted would be pretty crushed." Victoire stopped walking, first looking at the sidewalk, then at the faces of Teddy's closest friends. She felt like asking, she really felt like asking them something she had wanted to know. But she didn't dare to.

"Well, he shouldn't," instead she said coldly. "He moved on, he shouldn't be crushed if I show up with someone."

Jack laughed again, and shook his head, disapproving Victoire's words, then she recognized just how sarcastic his laughter was. She looked at him, and gestured with her eyes to find out what was so funny. It took Jack a while but he finally spoke out loud.

"Listen," he began softly. "You didn't see the mess he was after you left. And then, after months, he got this crazy idea of running after you. I told him it was a stupid thing to do, but he didn't listen, and—"

"—Wait. You told him not to look for me?" she asked, estranged that Jack would do such a thing.

"Yes! I told him you weren't going to take him back, but he didn't pay any attention, and...he in fact returned from Paris in a worse state than the one he left in. You didn't see any of that. We were really worried about him."

"No, I didn't see it. But that was only because I was busy picking up my own mess," she snapped. Jack looked at her silently for a moment.

"Hey, I'm not blaming you or anything. I'm just telling you what I saw."

Victoire sighed, her throat dry. She had been meaning to ask them how Teddy had managed the first months of her absence, because she certainly had been a mess, and if it hadn't been for the friendship she soon developed with Leo, and for how busy she had been in France, she probably would have ran back after him as well. But she didn't want to know anything about his past state anymore. It didn't feel right, somehow she felt guilty for it, even if he was the one to put an end to the entire thing, no matter how rational his reasons where.

"Jack, I don't want to meddle with that part of my life anymore. I put it behind, _he_ put it behind. Things are different now."

"Right..." he said softly. "I just...thought you should know that you weren't the only one who got hurt in this."

"I know that," she whispered. "I do know that," she breathed deeply.

"But from where I'm seeing things. You two haven't put everything behind yet, and what better than tonight to prove it?" he continued. Victoire had never seen him so interested in a topic before.

"Jack..." she whispered faintly, hoping he would put an end to that pointless conversation.

"Hey, aren't you going to his place tomorrow? You should...you know...use that time to talk to him," Bob intervened.

Jack snorted, rather loudly, turning the sound into a mocking laugh. "Talking? Who said anything about talking?" Victoire slapped his shoulder.

"He has a girlfriend!" she scolded.

"So...you're admitting that that's what's stopping you?" Jack smirked.

"I can't believe I'm standing here listening to you two," she argued, shaking her head. Jack chuckled. "Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure," he smiled and retook his pace. "So...you've been keeping in touch with Evelyn, huh?"

Victoire and Bob laughed out loud. "It took you long enough. Yes, she writes a lot, sends pictures." Victoire sighed. "I miss her."

"And...she..."

"Jack, why don't _you_ write her?" Victoire suggested, a smile drawn on her lips. Jack grinned and shook his head.

"Nah...that ended pretty badly. Besides, it was a long time ago, she wouldn't— "

"—You won't know until you give it try..." she said with a melodic tone. Jack raised his eyebrows at her.

"That's a pretty good advice. You should follow it yourself."

"Shut up..." said Victoire rolling her eyes at him, but allowing herself to smile at the man's persistence.

--

_Artist: Collective Soul. _

_-_

_Lyrics:_

_There once was love thrown into your room _

_But you never knew_

_A calendar of days just for you_

_But you never knew, never knew no_

_And the truth that you'll find will always be_

_The truth you hide_

_So how do you love? H__ow do you love?_

_When your angels can't sing, and your world is still_

_Lacking of me_

_There once were eyes that only saw you_

_But you never knew_

_A portrait of a flower in full bloom_

_But you never knew, never knew no_

_And the words that you fear will always be_

_The words you hear_

_So how do you love, how do you love_

_When your angels can't sing, and your world is still_

_Lacking of me_

_This space where you've been living_

_Has gifts you've never given_

_That's the face you always show_

_Ask me for words of wisdom_

_Tell me of your condition_

_I don't know, I don't_

_I don't know_

_And the truth that you'll find will always be_

_The truth you hide_

_So how do you love, how do you love?_

_When your angels can't sing, and your world is still_

_Lacking of me_

_So how do you love, yeah how do you love?_

_When your angels can't sing, and your world is still_

_Lacking of me_


	28. The Story

_A/N: This chapter is __one of my favourites so please pay close attention and PLEASE tell me what you think!! _

**The Story**

_June 7, 2020_

_--_

"Weasley," Teddy murmured with a solemn smile.

"Lupin," Victoire answered softly. Teddy laughed quietly and opened the door enough for her to step inside his flat. She hadn't bothered in asking if he still lived in the same place. She followed the hunch that assured her that he hadn't moved out of the small flat.

She threw her purse on the green couch and crossed her arms as her eyes wondered around the living room, like they had done the previous day at Andromeda's house.

"You bought a new coffee table," she pointed out. Teddy was still standing by the closed front door. He nodded.

"The other one couldn't stand on its own anymore," he said softly, looking at her, paying very little attention to the table.

"This one's nice," she shrugged. Then, to avoid the firm stare of his grave eyes, she looked at the tiny fireplace he disliked so much. "Did you ever fix it?" she asked. "The chimney?" From the corner of her eye she saw him shaking his head.

"It still smokes the house. I can't figure out what's wrong with it."

Victoire chuckled, and breathed deeply afterwards. Teddy moved forward and as she tensed on her spot, she felt him walking close but past her and into the kitchen. She followed him.

"Fancy something to drink?" he asked as he opened and closed different shelves.

"Um...I don't know...what do you have?"

On top of what was his breakfast, dinning and working table she found a writing machine, the one that typed his manuscripts on its own. She observed the pieces of parchments that surrounded the machine; some clean, others written on and others were made into paper balls. Also, a couple of quills and ink bottles were resting on the table.

"What are you working on?" she asked, lifting one of the written parchments.

"An article on Muggles, and their efforts of putting an end to Dark Magic during Medieval Times," he answered, heading for the fridge.

"Wow. And you're editor allows you to write about that? Because our history pretty much blames them for cornering us and forcing us live in the dark and in hiding," she replied, reading the first lines of his draft, which made reference to a legendary Muggle king that Victoire had heard of in Muggle Studies, back at Hogwarts. Teddy turned around and grinned.

"Well, he thinks I'm writing an article on the distress of wizards during Medieval Times. But so much has been written on that...and when I got to researching in Muggle libraries I found...much more interesting topics," he said mischievously.

Victoire laughed and shook her head. "Your boss will kill you," she said. Teddy grinned again, very sure of himself.

"I'll be fine. He'll bicker, yell for a while, but he'll end up publishing it," he said shrugging. "So? Anything to drink? I don't think I have anything to eat, though," he pointed out, staring at the open fridge. Victoire walked up to it, and contemplated its emptiness from over Teddy's shoulder.

"Honestly, Teddy, if it were up to you, you'd starve to death," she said, shaking her head. Teddy closed the door, giving very little importance to her remark. He then reached to open a cabinet, from which he pulled out a bottle of red wine.

"Um...wine?" he asked, inspecting the bottle. "I have no idea how long this has been here."

"Why not?" she said with a shrug. "The situation pretty much calls for it."

"Tell me about it," he replied. They stared at each other's faces, Victoire read the awkwardness in his, and she was sure that he was doing the same. Teddy's soft chuckle made her smile.

"So?" he said, breathing in, turning around to open the old bottle and pour some of its content in two glasses. "What's new with you?"

Victoire laughed. "Seriously, Teddy? Small talk?" she mocked, shaking her head.

"Hey, give me a hand here, will you? This is awkward enough as it is."

"Alright. You start then," she encouraged.

"You already know what's new with me..." he turned around, his face solemn, and handed her one glass. In a fast move he clanked his glass against hers, simulating some kind of toast and they both drank at the same time. Victoire wrinkled her nose as she swallowed the dry alcohol, which burned her throat. Teddy laughed softly at the look on her face, before shutting his eyes briefly.

"This is..."

"Awful," Victoire laughed. "Is this really all you've got?"

He nodded. "I should shop more often, huh?"

"You think? Oh, well. I guess, it'll do," she said, drinking some more. Teddy chuckled again, and looked at her in silence for the next few seconds, before breathing out strongly.

"Have it your way, I'll begin. Guess who offered me a column in the Quibbler? Luna Lovegood."

"Really? That's great! It's quite...different from what you do at the Prophet, though," she said, to what Teddy smiled widely,

"I know. It's a Sunday's column. I won't have to quit the Prophet or anything, and the great part is...I get to write about anything I want."

"That is the dream," she smiled.

"Pretty much. I'm still negotiating, though. My editor at the Prophet doesn't quite love the idea of having one of his investigative journalists writing for The Quibbler. Too mental, according to him. I find it refreshing. I have to find a way to persuade him."

Victoire laughed at the idea of Teddy writing for England's most controversial magazine. She was sure he was considering the situation for the fun more than the challenge.

"So?" Teddy intervened. "I guess it's your turn to talk," he said, with a persuasive tone, before hiding his subtle grin as he drank some more of the dry wine. Victoire smiled lightly and took the glass to her lips again.

"Actually, I believe you have some things that belong to me. Isn't that why I'm here?" she said, and he shook his head at the sight of her evasive smile.

"Cheater," he said, grabbing the bottle with his free hand and turning around to enter the living room. She followed him again and watched him set the bottle and his own glass on a small table. He opened the coat closet and raised his hands as he searched for something at the very top. Victoire drank again. The burning sensation the wine left on her throat was more pleasant than the one the anticipation was causing her.

"They are in a box...here somewhere," said Teddy, searching through old magazines and newspapers. "I saw it a few days ago…"

"So...why didn't you just send my stuff to my parents?" she had to ask. Teddy stopped the search and turned around to gaze at her. "Not that I mind coming to get them..." she concluded. Teddy laughed softly and quickly, he had recognized some slight sarcasm in her tone of voice.

"I don't know. You never said you needed them... and they have never really bothered me," he explained, and turned around again.

_Until __now_, she thought was the end to that sentence. They had never really bothered him until now. But it wouldn't be fair, would it? It wouldn't be fair to his girlfriend having to put up with things, accessories, pictures and who knows what other belongings of his former girlfriend. Cleansing the apartment was the logical thing to do...but then she thought of what Teddy had said: they _had never_ really bothered him. He wasn't even sure of where the so called box was. He mentioned he saw it a few days ago.

To Victoire it was clear now that he hadn't been cleaning the place up from her, Chloe had.

"Found it! I think..." he said, clenching his teeth as he pulled out what seemed to be a very heavy box. Victoire raised her eyebrow sharply, questioning his odd behaviour. She went to the couch and pulled her wand out of her purse, ready to offer some help. But before she could murmur the spell that would pull the box out of the closet and set it elegantly on the floor, the entire top shelve broke down. Teddy moved away fast enough but the box went to the floor, spreading things all over it, along with sheets of old newspapers and magazines.

Teddy stared at the mess in silence, while Victoire set her eyes on Teddy.

"And that...is why they invented magic," she said, pointing at the mess with both of her hands, doing a very poor job in hiding the irony on her tone of voice. Teddy looked up at her, embarrassment written all over his face. He broke into laughter two seconds later. Victoire followed.

"Fine... I get it. I just made a fool of myself," he said, taking his hand to the back of his neck. Victoire cut her laughing episode short once she saw the many things that were spread over the floor. Did all that really belong to her?

"That's quite a lot," she said amazed, and set her wand on a table. Teddy nodded. She picked her glass of wine up and kneeled on the floor. "Look at all these," she said picking up a few newspapers that held extensive articles on different astronomy topics. She collected them and threw them inside the empty box, and then she reached for a small book that had fallen open, titled: _Cosmic activities and their effect on wizards. _"Um...okay, so I was a bit obsessed with astronomy," she shook her head and threw the book inside the box as well.

"That wasn't so bad," Teddy said, picking his glass and the bottle of wine and sitting on the floor, in front of her. "The real tragedy was when you applied those theories on me."

Victoire laughed softly and bit her lip as she wandered through the things she had forgotten about. She threw a light blue night shirt, a small bottle of perfume, and two sets of earrings straight into the box. She then picked a small recipe book, one that took her years to complete. It had all of her family's specialties. Her mother's French cuisine, her grand's traditional plates and one or two things she had managed to gather from the other members of her family. Even some of Audrey's Muggle recipes were written in there.

"Maybe you should keep this. See if you learn how to use your kitchen," she told him, holding the recipe book close to him. Teddy raised his eyebrows, before giving her a sarcastic smile.

"Aren't you amusing..." he retorted. She felt tempted to ask him if Chloe had ever turned on a stove in her entire life, but she restrained the comment. It felt like an unnecessary low punch.

"What's this?" she asked, picking up three envelopes. "Letters?" Teddy looked up, thrown off.

"Wait, those are—"

"—I wrote you these," she whispered, an accusing tone invading her voice. "You're giving me back my own letters?" she asked, looking straight at him. Teddy shook his head strongly, and leaned close to her, reaching for the envelopes.

"No, no. These aren't supposed to be here. They must have been inside the book," he explained. Victoire gave him the hardest gaze her eyes allowed her. "Hey, don't look at me like that!" he said, taking the envelopes from her hands. "It was an honest mistake. What kind of an arse do you take me for? I'll put these with the others," he said and placed the letters next to his sitting spot.

Victoire looked down at the floor and sighed strongly, so strong that the sound filled the small living room. Teddy joined her silence for the following minute. He must have found it too hard to keep up, for he picked the bottle up and filled her glass without even asking. She chuckled weakly.

"We really know how to have fun, huh?" he said, filling his own glass. "Cheap wind and awkward entertainment. Cheers!" he said. Victoire laughed again.

"It isn't so bad," she admitted, tasting the alcohol one more time. "You just have to get used to it."

"The wine or the awkwardness?" he asked, through a soft grin. Victoire rolled her eyes, before wandering them through the things on the floor. She picked up a thick scrapbook, one that had taken her a lot more time and effort to put together than the recipe book. She smiled at the sight and memory of it. "I missed this," she said, setting her glass on the floor and opening the book. It was filled with articles, properly organized by date, they all belonged to Teddy. She laughed as she saw that the first ones were short, some weren't more than five lines long. But their length grew according to the years and some of the last ones belonged to the front page of the Daily Prophet. She looked up to him and saw his pure, clean smile.

"You know...you can keep this, I mean, it's all of you after all and...well, it works as a resume for you, doesn't it?" she said, handing him the book. He didn't take it.

"But it's yours!" he argued, frowning. She shrugged.

"That's alright...I don't mind. You can have it," she breathed in. Something in her mind was telling her to shut up, like she had done when she felt tempted to attack Chloe's cooking abilities. But she rarely listened to herself; she rarely listened to anyone, so she continued. "Besides, I started another one."

Teddy's face froze on the spot, and Victoire shut her eyes tightly. She should have really listened to herself.

"You started another one?" he asked impressed. The shape of his smile had something overwhelmed in it. Victoire opened her lips but said nothing.

"Well, yes...sure, I still read your articles," she said, and her voice was so natural that she amazed herself. Teddy smiled and nodded. "I mean, your writing has grown so much in the past years..." Teddy looked at her, waiting for her to finish. "I guess that..."

"What?" he asked softly, his eyes persuading her to end the sentence.

"I guess that I'm just...proud of you. That's all."

"You're proud of me?" he asked again, and her small instinct, the same one that had told her to shut up, warned her that her words were pushing the situation to a dangerous place. Doors were unlocking, dungeons were reopening. She was saying things that were building a knot in her throat, something she hadn't felt for many months.

"Of course I am, Teddy. What did you expect?" she said with another amount of unnatural nature in her voice. "I saw you working hard for all this. And now you'll have columns in different news papers. That's amazing," she said, now her tone was of genuine admiration. She couldn't help the sensation of being a small part of his success. Teddy muted, his smile widened, his eyes were exposed with a tender look.

"Um...I'm proud of you too," he finally whispered, and Victoire cleared her throat.

"You don't have to say—"

"—I am," he cut her. "I always thought you'd find something great to do with that crazy head of yours," he said tapping with delicacy her forehead. She smiled, small dots of red wine spreading on her cheeks. "And look at you...already meddling in the magical society's secrets." Victoire laughed softly.

"You're just jealous because I have access to things you'd die to write about," she teased to break the serious tension that was sinking them. Teddy laughed and nodded softly.

"I admit that I am," he joked. "So, you're not going to give me at least _one_ little secret?" he said, and showed her the bottle, silently asking if she wanted some more.

"Not even a clue," she said, with a proud smile, and held the glass up for him to fill. At least the wine helped them reduce the awkward atmosphere, although it did nothing to break the tension.

After having her glass filled again, she looked down at the floor, to return to what was turning into a melancholic job. She picked up the scrapbook again and handed it to him, this time he took with a sad smile and put it on top of the letters.

"We should have done this a while ago," she said, sighing.

"I guess..." he answered, his voice suddenly dry. She tried to ignore that fact, picked up some books that belonged to her, and threw them inside the box. "So, how is Paris? I suppose you're loving it there," he said, Victoire lifted her eyes at him, finding that his sight was as hard as his tone had just been.

"Paris is...great," she said. Teddy frowned

"But?"

"But? There's not but. It's great," she said simply.

"There's something else. I can see there's something else," he insisted, Victoire exhaled anxiously.

"Don't do that. Don't do that thing were you try to read my face. Don't do that," she ordered looking straight at his face. Teddy smiled warmly.

"Then, tell me," he said softly, quite persuasively. She silently cursed his abilities.

"Well..." she swallowed. "I guess I considered moving back, but...I don't know—"

"—Really?" he asked impressed, his expression transformed drastically from sad to cheerful.

"It's was just a thought. I don't really have a good reason. I mean, I really miss my family but—"

"—your family isn't a good reason?"

"Of course! But...I like my job—"

"—You'd find something here. There's not many people capable of doing what you do. I'm sure The Department of Mysteries would take you in three seconds."

"I know...just, I don't know," she said. Teddy chuckled and shook his head.

"It's your call," he said.

"I know it is. I mean, Paris is wonderful...but—"

"—But?" he cut in again.

"It isn't home," she said straight to his eyes.

"I think you just found your reason," he whispered. Victoire's smile was weak.

"Would you like me to come back?" she heard her own voice saying. She suddenly panicked. She was pushing it. She was really pushing it to the very edge. Far away she could hear something breaking already, or blowing up, and she was provoking it. She really had to stop, and fast.

Teddy smiled again, his smile made it seem like she was asking a really stupid question, instead of a really dangerous one.

"Of course! We miss you over here," he said.

"_We_? Who's _we_?" she asked impulsively, for she had been meaning to know if _he_ wanted her to return, not everyone else. Teddy's smile vanished. "I'm sorry...you don't have to answer that," she said looking down. He followed her last suggestion and said nothing.

While Victoire's eyes travelled for the hundredth time over the floor she caught sight of something she didn't recognize at first. She picked up what seemed to be a green lump and understood that was a stuffed animal, a very old one. She frowned as she studied it.

It was a frog, its skin was no longer a bright shade of green. Time had turned it into an almost white tone of the colour. At first Victoire smiled at the memory of choosing that toy especially for Teddy as a going away present for his first year at Hogwarts. As far away as the memory was, the dedication she had spent in picking something for him at her young age felt fresh and recent. Then, she mentally pointed out that the frog had been thrown into a box.

"That's mine as well," Teddy said, the moment he saw the toy. "That shouldn't be there."

"I gave you this," she said, revealing her hurt voice. He reached and tried to take the stuffed animal from her hands, but she retrieved the object in a fast move.

"I know! I—"

"—And you're giving it back?" she asked.

"No! That shouldn't be there—"

"Never mind, I'll take it."

"You can't take it, it's mine!" he argued.

"That's alright, you don't have to pretend. I'll take it with me."

"Victoire, don't be ridiculous. It was—"

"—an honest mistake?" she said sarcastically.

"Actually yes, I didn't put it there. Give it back!"

"No!" she retorted, holding the small frog tight in her hands.

"Victoire Weasley, hand me over my damn frog," he said strictly, his arm straight and firm, his hand opened. Victoire stayed still at the hard tone of his deep voice and couldn't help breaking into laughter.

"What's so funny?" he said annoyed.

"Look at us. We're fighting over a stuffed animal," she said, short of air. Teddy laughed softly as she handed him the frog.

"Yeah well, we've always had our own ways of understanding," he said, his laughing increased as he looked at the stuffed animal. She looked at him, and her smile got caught in his, tangling, like they had done so many times before. His eyes were suddenly deep into hers.

She looked down, their laugh had faded.

"You...you didn't put it in the box," she said. "As a matter of fact, you didn't put any of these in the box."

"No," he said roughly. She looked up again.

"Chloe did," she explained to herself. He nodded. Victoire had stopped thinking about that name hours ago. Up until now she had felt a strong presence between them, something that translated into awkwardness, and something that made their laughing fade occasionally and that didn't allow that moment to be slightly pleasant. That presence made everything melancholic. She had just acknowledged that the presence had a name and a place in his life, and was determined to put Victoire inside a box. Something inside Victoire suddenly made her glue the pieces together. Like she had predicted at Andromeda's home, Chloe had a purpose, she wasn't just passing by.

Her attentions towards Victoire and towards her own family suddenly became clear. Chloe was smart, she wasn't going to try and turn Victoire against her, and instead she was trying to win her. But as she became friends with Teddy's most important former girlfriend, she would slowly get her presence out of him, especially out of his house.

It was a smart thing to do, strategic and smart. Victoire had to hand it to her.

"Listen...Chloe doesn't dislike you or anything," Teddy hurried to explain. What did he know? He was a guy. Guys don't understand the wicked ways of female minds. "She actually wanted to meet you..." Victorie raised her eyebrow. Of course Chloe wanted to meet her, just like she wanted to meet his family. She was demanding to explore the territory. Victoire understood Dominique's letter now. Teddy had been uncomfortable with bringing Chloe to The Burrow, because she had probably persuaded him to take her. "...which I admit was a bit weird but I'm glad she's assuming this in a good way."

"So...you, like...talk to her about me?" she asked, somehow horrified. Teddy shrugged.

"Can you blame me?" he said, looking at the floor, at all her belongings. "You seem to be everywhere."

Victoire chuckled, weakly and quite sadly. The knot in her throat was growing, and now the cold sensation was spreading to her chest. She was beginning to think that now that those feelings were returning to her, they weren't going to fade away. "Well, that's why I'm here, right? To clear your house of me," she said with a straight tone. Teddy noticed her unstable expression. He exhaled strongly.

"I know last night was a little awkward—"

"—A little?"

"Alright. Last night was awkward as hell. I'm sorry if I pushed it. I just..."

"No! That's alright," she lied. "You wanted us to...bond." Teddy laughed softly, a bit of irony in the sound. "I understand. She's your girlfriend, and I'm..." she looked up, no idea of how to finish that sentence. "I'm..."

"A very important person to me," he filled in with a soft whisper. No hesitation in his voice, he didn't even think it through before saying it. Her chest began to burn, anxiously. He looked at her, firmly, while Victoire found it hard to gather air to answer properly.

"You've told her that?" Victorie asked, her voice breaking, in spite of her efforts of staying calm.

"She knows," he whispered again. "She knows how much I care about you and she understands."

Sure she did. No woman in her right mind would approve of something like that. Victorie began to admire Chloe; she really was a determined woman to be putting up with all that. She was a fine opponent.

Victoire froze and hurried to scratch that last thought from her mind. Chloe wasn't her opponent, simply because there was no fight. Victoire wasn't fighting for anything.

"You really think she understands, Teddy? Because this all seems a bit complicated."

"Well, I'm never expecting anyone to really understand what goes on between us, but at least she tries."

Victoire looked up at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked pointlessly, she already knew what he was saying. Their relationship was hard to explain to anyone. At first they had been something between friends and family, and almost none of the students at Hogwarts understood that they weren't actual cousins. Then they became something between best friends and a couple, which came out as disgusting to the many people who still thought that they were blood related. Teddy and Victoire understood each other perfectly, like best friends did, but the electric field that connected them threw them far away from the friends scenario. And now they were in the weirdest place of all. They were somewhere between friends, family and ex-boyfriends. It was blurry but it had to work somehow. That's what they were pouring all their efforts in: working it out. No matter what they were called. One thing suddenly became certain, Victoire was realizing that the burning of her chest and the shortness of breath was nothing more than the electric field taking over them again, and she could feel he was sensing the same things, she could just feel it.

But he wasn't doing anything about it, which was the smart way to act. They were going to have to live with it, until it faded on its own.

"You shouldn't have to ask," he whispered, interrupting all of her thoughts. Victoire's lower lip trembled lightly. She looked down, impulsively at the green frog that was still in Teddy's hand.

"I get what you mean," she cut him. She saw him staring at the stuffed animal and chuckling afterwards.

"What?" she asked, looking for something to laugh at as well. The tension the last topic left her was taking her breath again.

"Nothing. Do you remember why you got me this?" he asked. Victoire frowned, trying to make out the memory of it.

"Because...it looked cute?" she suggested. He laughed, which made her smile again. "You're lucky I didn't get you a stuffed unicorn. I didn't want to embarrass you that much," she said, with soft laughs.

"You really don't remember," he said amused.

"Remember what?" she insisted. "I remember you were leaving for your first school year and I wanted—"

"—that's not it. So, you don't remember our first kiss?" he smirked.

"WHAT? What are you talking about?"

"You don't remember the first time you kissed me..." he said, acting as if he was seriously hurt by her amnesia.

"Me? It was the other way around! You were the first to kiss _me_!"

"No, I wasn't. It was _you_. You pecked a frog, trying to see if some Muggle fairy tale was true. And then you pecked me... in the lips and all," he said proudly. Victoire's eyes opened widely, her jaw dropped. The image of herself pecking a big, brown frog was coming back to her head. She wrinkled her face.

"I kissed a frog?" she said faintly. He nodded, breaking into laughter. "How come you never told me that before?" she asked horrified.

"Honestly? I didn't remember much of it myself. I don't know why I'm remembering it now."

"Am I that bad of a kisser?" she asked, now she was the one acting insulted. Teddy's laugh grew more.

"Hey, we were just kids. Besides, I think I tried to hide that somewhere in the most embarrassed corners of my mind. A girl kissed _me_ after kissing a frog. That was beyond humiliation," he said. Victoire joined in his laughter. "Merlin...you really used to push me around..."

"That's not true! I never pushed you around," she said, pleasantly amused. Teddy raised his eyebrow at her. "Alright, Alright, I did...a little. Okay, a lot. But only because you were dumb enough to be pushed around by a girl younger than you!" she mocked. Teddy threw her the stuffed animal, which hit her in the face but didn't cut her laughter.

"Hey! Don't blame _me_ for it_. _I couldn't resist your charms! Even back then," he said. Victoire stopped laughing gradually, concentrating on recovering her breath. When she looked up she found that Teddy was barely smiling, his eyes had set upon hers. Their colour was profound, like his sight, a dark shade of brown that gave his last words an entirely different meaning.

But his reaction was sharp, cold and effective. He looked down, cleared his throat and drank from his glass of wine. So did Victoire. Once again she retook her duty of disappearing from his apartment and picked up a photograph that had been facing down. It was a picture of her, standing in the middle of the beautiful gardens of The Palace of Versailles. She had given him it to Teddy last Christmas, only because he had insisted on having a recent picture of her. Of course, that was before their New Year's incident.

"Another _honest_ mistake?" asked Victoire, this time the sarcasm was loud and sharp. Teddy sighed and nodded.

"Give me that," he said taking it away from her.

"I don't blame her," Victoire said. "If I had to put up with pictures of my boyfriend's ex I would probably end up burning them."

"Hey, you did so once," Teddy said.

"I did not!"

"Really? What about Grace's picture, the one in a bathing suit?" Teddy said. Victoire felt her cheeks flushing.

"That picture fell off my hands..."

"...and into the fireplace," he finished.

"It was an accident!" she said sincerely. "It really was!"

"Alright...an _honest_ mistake, then." Victoire laughed again. "So, are you ready to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Something new about you? Anything! Or do I have to get you drunk for that?" he offered, raising the bottle of wine. Victoire lifted her glass towards him.

"That won't be necessary. What do you want to know about?"

"Anything...your friends, your job, your boyfriends..." he said softly as he filled her glass again.

"My _friends_ are...Leo, my job is mostly top secret to you and my boyfriends are nonexistent," she answered sharply.

"Why are you being so difficult?"

"I'm not being difficult!"

"So, you're not seeing anyone? I don't believe that..."

"Why not?"

"No one?"

"No."

"Not even occasionally?"

Victoire silenced.

"Aha! I knew you had something hidden somewhere."

"I sort of met this guy, but...that was a few weeks ago, we've gone out a couple of times. There. Happy?..._Dad_," she retorted. Teddy's face was plane. He didn't seem to get that she was somehow joking.

"That's it?"

"Yes...well, I've gone out with other guys, but nothing serious..." she said, drinking more wine. Teddy pressed his lips together and then drank from his own glass.

"So...you've _been_ with other guys," he said. For a second Victoire couldn't believe he was entering that territory. Something told her that the alcohol was having an effect on him. "Go ahead," he encouraged, something mischievous in his voice. "Say your magic number."

Victoire chocked on her drink, the wine suddenly began to taste stronger. She was blushing again; she could feel the heat of her skin. "You are not allowed to ask me that!" she said, a shrieking embarrassment coming out of her voice. She threw the green frog straight at Teddy's head. He complained loudly but that only increased his teasing grin.

"Sure I am."

"No!"

"It's Me! You can tell me anything!" he said, laughing at the horrified look on her face.

"No, I can't...and I don't have to either," she retorted.

"Come on... What? You're afraid of me? You're afraid of what I'll think? Oh no...please don't tell me you're embarrassed, because that would be pitiable."

Victoire threw him her best killing look, the one that always encouraged him to continue his mockery. He laughed.

"Fine. I'll let you guess it," she said. Teddy raised his eyebrows and pretended to be giving the subject inner thought.

"One?" he asked, a trace of hope in his eyes.

"No," she said, mildly smiling.

"Um, I don't know. Six?"

"Six? You just jump from one to six? Just like that? That's…a bit insulting," she said, astonished. Teddy laughed again.

"Well, now I know that it's somewhere between two and five."

"You think you are so smart… Go ahead, give it another try."

He chuckled, his expression changed. "You know what? Never mind. I don't want to know anymore," he said, looking down at the floor, but she could see the skin of his neck turning slightly red, which provoked a smile on her. "Something tells me that your number is higher than mine."

Victoire laughed out loud. She was still flushed, but she felt relieved that they could still have those types of conversations openly, without feeling out of place. He had been right; they could talk about anything...almost.

"So...you really don't want to know?" she teased, feeling glad to have the ball on her court.

"No..." he said, shaking his head. "I'm even sorry for bringing the subject up in the first place."

"Oh, come on..." she encouraged.

"Be quiet," he ordered, raising his hand and placing it rather close to her lips. He wasn't touching her, and she didn't need that to feel the heat of his skin.

"I don't see why it would bother you, you're the one who has moved on impressively fast," she ended up saying. She regretted it at the very second. Again, she was pushing things to the very edge.

Teddy looked up at her, like he hadn't been laughing two seconds ago, like he had never laughed in his life.

"I'm sorry," she said fast. "I wasn't supposed to say that, my brain betrayed my mouth."

"I've seen that happen to you before," he said, with a gentle but sad smile.

Silence came back, and Victoire hated every minute of it.

"Victoire...I wanted to tell you I was seeing someone," he finally said.

"No...Its okay—"

"—I didn't want you to find out through somebody else. I wrote you a letter but...it sounded so cheap written down that I never sent it. I guess I didn't really know what to say."

"That's fine, Teddy," she said, but to her regret he didn't stop there.

"And what did you expect me to do? I went after you to Paris, and you didn't want me."

"Well, you didn't want me before that," she retorted.

"That's not true. Those were completely different reasons..."

"Teddy I don't want to get into that now," she pleaded.

"We'll have to talk about it someday. What else did you expect from me?" he asked, she was sensing that he wasn't calmed anymore, he seemed to be getting upset as he spoke. "You wanted me to wait until you changed you mind? Because... I actually did, I did wait. I waited until you made it clear that nothing was going to happen between us."

"I know," she answered weakly. She felt tempted of telling him, of letting him know that she didn't want him to just _wait_, she wanted him to convince her, to force her to see how stubborn she was being. He had hurt her, and she went to France and things changed entirely after that. To her disgrace he had been right; she needed to get away, to make something out of her life. The problem was that she got so far away that it was hard to simply come back afterwards. She needed him to be persistent. But he had given up.

Victoire blinked, if those things were going to sound to him as stupid as they sounded in her head then she preferred to remain quiet.

"You didn't come back after the first year. You stayed in France," he said.

"We had broken up, I moved on."

"That's what I'm doing now."

Victoire looked down at the floor, and she felt Teddy standing up, walking past the box and carefully bordering the things that were still spread on the floor. Soon he was sitting right next to her. She swallowed hard, and finally felt the heat of his skin when he took her chin with his thumb and his index finger.

"Teddy..."

"Just tell me, if you're not slightly resentful of how things turned out between us," he asked gravely. Victoire did a big effort in avoiding his eyes. She shook her head.

"I'm not going to talk about it," she said, releasing her head from his grip.

Teddy exhaled, deep in frustration. She saw the way he looked at her, examining her face and finally, her neck.

"You're still wearing the locket," he whispered.

She shut her eyes. "So?" she asked, looking at the floor.

"Nothing...just that...nothing," he said.

She sighed. "I like it, that's all. You know that," she said, grabbing it tightly with her right hand. They shared their silence, until Teddy chuckled.

"What?" she asked softly, then realized and laughed softly herself. "Oh. You're thinking about the story you made up, aren't you?"

"You remember it?" he asked. Victoire rolled her eyes.

"Of course I do. You made it up for me. You made it up to get into my knickers," she mocked. She had no idea where she got the strength to make a joke at the moment. He laughed absently.

"Although it was one of the things in my head at the moment, it wasn't really the reason I made it up..."

"I know."

"You used to ask me to repeat it all the time."

"That's because I loved it."

He looked at her neck again. "That locket used to hold a picture of us together," he pointed out as he grabbed the piece of jewellery with his hand. Victoire's chest was burning once again. His hand brushed her skin, challenging to open the locket.

"Used to," she lied weakly.

"You took the picture off?" he asked, leaning close to her, tightening his grip on the ornament. Victoire swallowed hard. He was walking on thin ice and he was pulling her with him. If it broke it would drown them both. He was the one now to be pushing things to the very sharp edge.

She nodded, again lying. He had the girlfriend, he had moved on, and she had no intention on looking like the pathetic loser with the picture of her ex-boyfriend hanging on her neck.

She quickly remembered Teddy's story (1), and how the character of the Auror hadn't opened the locket for almost three years, forgetting all about the picture that was inside of it. But once he opened it again he was bewitched by what he found.

Since their breakup she hadn't opened the locket either. She had almost forgotten that there was a picture of them in it. She had carried it on for a year, fooling herself to think that the only reason she was still wearing it was because she liked that particular antique. Now she felt like the big idiot she knew she was. She strongly wished she had taken that god damn picture off the locket. Better yet, she should have taken the whole thing off.

"So...you won't mind if I open it, would you?" he asked, through a rough whisper. Victoire gasped, his fingers were moving over it, while his eyes were on her.

"Don't. Don't open it," she ordered, her voice firm, almost threatening with her eyes. Although she knew that her reaction had been enough for him to know what was inside of that locket, he still didn't have the right to embarrass her like that.

Teddy let go of the necklace, but his hand didn't rest. It slowly explored the skin of her neck, which had been burning for the last minutes. He travelled up her neck, and she shut her eyes as he firmly grabbed her face. She breathed deeply. He was close enough to be inhaled.

She closed her eyes; she had not felt that weak in ages. She felt his lips, somewhere near her chin and instantly loved the effect it had on her. She quickly bit her lip and stopped breathing. All the blood that had been jumping through her veins was now running up her head.

He stopped. He didn't approach himself one more inch. She opened her eyes and saw something in his sight, regret maybe. He must have been coming to his senses. He must have been acknowledging just how stupid and impulsive he was being. He had pushed things way too far, they both had, ice was breaking, and now his face said that the left side of his brain was ordering him to behave like a solid, thinking person who already had a girlfriend.

But...stupid and impulsive just happened to be Victoire's specialty when it came to anything related to Teddy. Besides, she had already worn out her ways of restrain the times she had turned him down. She had shown resistance to him twice in one year; the first time out of pure anger, the second time out of consideration with her own sanity.

But now she didn't stand the distance he was beginning to put between them, and she was not going to forgive his brief moment of weakness.

Her face slid next to his again, he breathed deeply. The tip of her fingers moved cautiously, until they brushed his lips with no hesitation involved, drawing tempting figures on the humid surface. He seemed to smile at her touch, but it was hard to translate his expression. His uneven breathing was the encouraging key to each of her moves. Her fingertips burned everytime hot air escaped from his mouth.

She crushed the little layer of ice that was left between them, approaching her lips to his right cheek, breathing his scent as much as humanly possible, while her pulse threatened to explode from her neck.

He shifted his face; with a possessed move he trapped her teasing lips with his.

--

_A/N: So, any thoughts? Love it? Hate it? Please say something, especially if you've been following this story. I always love to read your take on things._

_Footnote: _

_(1) For those who might have forgotten, the story that concerned the locket is told by Teddy during chapter 13 "Angry". _

--

_Artist: Brandi Carlile_

Lyrics:

_All of these lines across my face_

_Tell you the story of who I am_

_So many stories of where I've been_

_And how I got to where I am_

_But these stories don't mean anything_

_When you've got no one to tell them to_

_It's true...I was made for you_

_I climbed across the mountain tops_

_Swam all across the ocean blue_

_I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules_

_But baby I broke them all for you_

_Because even when I was flat broke_

_You made me feel like a million bucks_

_You do_

_I was made for you_

_You see the smile that's on my mouth_

_It's hiding the words that don't come out_

_And all of my friends who think that I'm blessed_

_They don't know my head is a mess_

_No, they don't know who I really am_

_And they don't know what _

_I've been through like you do_

_And I was made for you..._

_All of these lines across my face_

_Tell you the story of who I am_

_So many stories of where I've been_

_And how I got to where I am_

_But these stories don't mean anything_

_When you've got no one to tell them to_

_It's true...I was made for you _


	29. Hanging by a Moment

_A/N: __I sincerely apologize for the delay. Life went crazy these past weeks…actually it still is. I even had to leave town for a week and I couldn't sit down to write a simple sentence. I will be posting next chapter sooner, though! _

_Thank you so much for the feedback. You put so many smiles on my face!! And thanks to those who have been adding me in their favorites or their alerts, although it would be nice to hear from you as well, especially to see what it is that you like from the story._

_So, please, read, enjoy and tell me what you think!_

**Hanging by a Moment**

_June 7, 2020_

--

Their lips fought unstoppably against each other, rescuing the long gone taste. Hands moving, skins brushing, burning each other. Small kisses being spread across her collar bone and soon down her neck; the fog of his breath branded her skin, recovering the old sensible spots. Two very familiar hands ran up and down her back, and as soon as a fainted gasp left the safeness of her throat he had returned his lips to seal hers.

Teddy's hand wondered down the long bronze strings that were Victoire's hairs, with sensible strength. Finally, his grip settled on the lines of her waist, grabbing her skin tightly, sending vivid shocks up her bones, shocks that met at the epicenter of her chest. She raised her hands from the floor and placed them on both sides of his face, securing his closeness, demanding for that to never end.

She soon lost balance, her legs weren't enough to keep her firm on the floor, and neither was her mind. The little strength she had left encouraged Teddy's arms and his entire body to press her back against the floor.

Victoire felt her lungs emptying; her breath was gone under his. His lips, again running down her neck took the little air she had left inside of her. She couldn't pronounce the words that were stuck down her throat, words that were vital to make everything stop at that very minute. The sensible words had drowned, somewhere deep inside the electric shocks of her chest and the fire of her skin.

His mouth traveled slowly to her left ear, her skin shivered.

"I can't," he whispered roughly. Victoire opened her eyes and looked up at the expectance of his own deep sight.

"I know," she murmured, the words didn't come out completely; her chest was too trapped under his to let her speak properly. "I know," she said again, breathing better. Everything was coming back to her body; her strength to her arms, her breath to her lungs, her state of mind to her head. "I know!" she said again, loudly. "Get off me!" Victoire demanded, panting hard. He recovered his sitting position in two fast moves, panting as well, faster than her.

Victoire sat on the floor, her back suddenly aching slightly from the hardness of the wood, a small pain she hadn't felt a few seconds ago, or hadn't noticed.

She looked up at Teddy, his sight was strongly fixated on the wooden floor. She frowned, her exasperation didn't allow her to speak until a minute had passed.

"What…what was that?" she said, and heard how accusing her voice sounded. He raised his head up to her, and said nothing, but the pace of his breathing was expressive enough for her. "What?" This time he shook his head, fast and shortly.

"I can't do this…" he said again, frowning, sounding very unconvinced, as if his voice was doing its best in convincing himself. Victoire took her hand to grab her hair. "Not right now…" he continued.

"This is wrong…in so many ways," she said, covering her lips with her hand.

"It is…" he panted, his own hand on his forehead. He breathed in, looking into her eyes. "…Is it?"

"What—Teddy!"

He grabbed her face with one hand, so fast she couldn't slip it away.

"Victoire…is it?" he asked slowly, as if talking to a little girl.

"Stop," she murmured once she felt his strong sight questioning her. She tried to look down but he didn't let her. "Chloe!" she said loudly. "You've got...Chloe!" Teddy shut his eyes for a brief second.

"I know…" he whispered. Another silence embraced her as his hand embraced her chin. "But…"

"But what?" she widened her eyes. "There's no _but_…" He finally let go of her face, and looked down, his head seemed to have suddenly been hit by something harder than the wood of the floor.

"I…I just screwed that up…" he said quietly, not in worry but in realization. Something in Victoire's chest shrunk. She nodded quickly. She could feel her throat closing, her eyes swelling. She cursed the intentions her body had of crying. That would be the cherry on top her stupid behavior.

"You…just—don't tell her. I'll go, I'll get my things and go," she said, her voice breaking, her arms searching for the box that was beside them. "Nothing happened here," she declared impulsively, swallowing hard. She really needed for those tears to crawl back up, because she wasn't planning on letting them run down.

He stopped her, grabbing both of her arms. "Wait. What do you mean _don't tell her_? And something _did_ happen here…"

She was breathing fast, trying to consume the air around her. "It was a mistake," she said between short breaths. "We're not supposed to do that! What—what were you thinking? What was _I_ thinking?"

"Victoire! You're panicking," he said, holding her arms tighter.

"And I don't see you doing the same!" she yelled.

"Victoire—"

"—Just let me get out of here…" she said, seriously short of breath.

"No!"

"Teddy…please," she whispered to the proximity of his face. She pressed her lips tightly together, wrinkled her face and hated him for holding her so firmly. Petit, transparent tears slid down her cheeks. She rolled her eyes at the sensation.

Teddy looked at her silently. He never said anything stupid whenever he saw her in a state similar to that one. He had the subtleness of staying quiet until she pulled herself together. She breathed deeply and felt relieved from the tension for a moment, until he caressed her wet cheek with the back of his hand and she felt her heart flipping abruptly.

"I don't want you to go," he said, something painful in his voice.

"Teddy, this was a huge mistake."

"Stop saying that…"

"But you are with somebody else—"

"—Victoire…forget about that for a moment. What do _you_ want?" he asked firmly. Victoire frowned. She didn't get how he could keep it so together. He breathed in as he waited for her answer.

"I—I…I don't know," she whispered.

"Yes you do," he whispered back.

"It doesn't make a difference. You're with _her,_" she said, and accusing tone taking over her voice.

He shook his head. "Not after this."

"What—are you out of your mind? You're seriously planning on telling her?"

"Of course I am!" he said, as if it was the most obvious thing to do. And it wasn't obvious. Fifteen minutes ago they had been looking into their memories, avoiding stepping on the hurtful parts. Now they had unleashed everything that had been hidden. "I'm telling her tonight," he said with a surprising amount of decision.

"But—"

"—There is no but," he pointed out. "Let me talk to her—"

"—Teddy, I don't think—"

"—I'll go to Shell Cottage afterwards, alright? And we'll talk then. You and I. Just let me tell her first."

"But—" she said weakly, and stopped herself at the sight of his strong eyes. She shook his head, but fought with it no more, especially when he kissed the corner of her mouth softly. Victoire sighed.

"You'll wait for me there?" he asked. She nodded, although she didn't understand exactly what she was agreeing to. Was it that she was going to wait for him until he broke up with his current girlfriend so they could _talk_ properly about their situation? Or was it that she was going to wait for him to _decide_ what he wanted to do?

She nodded either way, because she didn't have much strength left to do anything else. He smiled widely.

"Will you let me go now…please?" she said weakly. Teddy released her, and she felt the weight of her body sinking in the hard floor. He stood up and offered her both of his hands. She took his hands and he pulled her up in a fast move. Victoire looked at him intently, wondering if she would ever breath normally again. She felt she needed to get out of the house and see if there was a way of returning herself to her normal state, although she already knew the answer to that last.

Teddy breathed out, before taking her face with his hands. She closed her eyes to the feeling. "I thought you were letting me leave…" she begged. He shook his head and leaned down, to kiss her one more time, short and tender. She smiled weakly, before he let her go.

She turned around and walked past the couch, where she spotted her purse and wand. She grabbed them in a fast move and reached for the door. Once she opened it she couldn't help but turning back, just to make sure that he was actually there, looking at her, smiling softly at her. There it was, that same adoration in his eyes, the one she had once fallen so desperately in love with. She smiled to the realization of it all, and tried not to think of how messed up things were around her. She stayed under the doorframe for a minute, but gathered the strength to walk out of the house.

--

Victoire buried her face under the pillow of her former bed.

That couldn't have happened, she was smarter than that. She had not provoked it. She was certain, no, positive. And neither had he. Images flashed across her head, she couldn't organize the last two hours properly. She couldn't remember the last thing he had said before it all became so messy.

She opened her eyes under the darkness of her pillow, her head spinning, her heart at the edge of her throat. Then, somewhere between the memory of the stuffed frog and the locket that was still hanging from her neck, Victoire remembered her childish accusations during the entire evening, how she reproached the way he had moved on with somebody else.

Victoire shut her eyes tightly. _She_ had provoked it. She sent all the messages he needed to receive to know that he still had the power of tempting her into stupidity.

She then remembered his subtle signs. His eyes constantly set on her lips, and his hands fixated on her skin, only seconds before kissing her. She thought of his last minute retrieval and her impulse of keeping the seductive mood alive. The flirting, the smiling, the innuendoes taking over their conversations… Victoire's skin shivered at the simple thought of it all. She breathed deeply, feeling the speed of the blood that was running down her veins. Nothing was going to kill the adrenaline. But she knew that when the ecstasy left every corner of her chest, she was going to be left with nothing but a hangover.

The kiss didn't even have to mean anything. They had been walking in slippery territory and didn't handle it well, and that was all. A small mistake.

But even in her hurricane of thoughts, Victoire knew that the thing that had happened only minutes ago wasn't small. Instead, it brought her back to a place she had hidden in the back of her mind. And the sensation of drowning with every minute as she waited for him to come back to her wasn't only hurtful and confusing.

It was devastating.

Victoire threw the pillow with all the strength her adrenaline allowed her. She tossed it to other side of the room and stood up from her bed, to do nothing but walk around it. She was lucky that Teddy came to his senses fast enough. She was certain by now that her exhilaration would have led her all the way with him. The guilt and the suffocating confusion would be unbearable now if she had done what her entire body was begging her to do. Victoire sighed, wondering if the pleasure would have suppressed the guilt. She shook her head fast again, trying to get the inappropriate thoughts out of it.

Teddy's reaction had been the most disconcerting thing of all. Although guilt had covered his eyes the very second he parted his lips from hers, she didn't recall seeing him that sure about something in his life. Their last conversation had been short and confusing but his eyes were enough for her to think that he was going to put an end to his current relationship.

And what if he did? Was he going to run to her that very same day? And most important, were they supposed to start things over again? Just like that? "Oh god…" she whispered, taking her hands to her face. Up until the previous day she had been positive that the only thing healthy for her after that breakup was to be firm about moving on without him. She had made it clear to herself that there was no turning back.

And what if he was thinking that very same thing at that very same minute? What if he realized that after almost two years he was better off without her? That he was better off with the other girl…

Something inside Victoire's chest suddenly ached to the thought of Teddy choosing Chloe over her. She walked up to the window of the room she had slept in for eighteen years. She looked out the crystal and into the open sea that was sheltering the sunset. She bit her lip with unmeasured strength, but didn't notice the pressure. That same window was the one Teddy had climbed through countless times, thanks to her consistent encouragement to meet her there in the middle of the warm nights of their first summer as a couple, when Teddy was doing his best effort at treating her with respect. But after breaking into her room for two nights in a row he didn't put much more resistance to his own impulses.

She shook her head, he couldn't stay with Chloe. And then again…he should, because with Chloe he had a clean parchment to write on; with Victoire it would be like retaking from a place where the ink had spilled, tainting the entire paper.

They needed to talk. _She_ needed to talk to him, about everything she never said because she had been either too hurt or too angry to say it all. She needed to see him simply to talk, not to touch him, or kiss him, or meddle his hair with her fingers, or smell his scent again. None of that was going to clear the storm that had settled in her head. All she asked for was the strength to talk to him, no matter what he wanted from her or what she expected from him.

"I need Evelyn…" she said out loud to the empty room. No, Evelyn would give her the most useless advice of all. She could just hear the words coming out of her friend's mouth. She would tell her to sneak inside his house, even before Chloe got back, and do everything that was in her hands to distract him from the competition.

Evelyn was too straightforward when it came to men. Victoire needed Leo.

But Leo would tell her just how stupid she was being, he would ask her to put her two feet hard on the ground. He would remind her that she was throwing away months of recovering from a wreckful breakup. That wasn't right either, because that last kiss proved how unaccomplished that recovery had been.

She wished she could put her two best friends in a cauldron and mix them up, maybe that way she could get a proper advice from the result of the two…or she would hear what she wanted to hear.

She wouldn't have been this confused two year ago. Before leaving to France she would have done anything in her hands to keep her relationship with him alive. But the present day was completely different and something inside her still told her that it was all the consequence of Teddy's reasons to break up with her, no matter how much he claimed to regret it.

"Back already?" Dominique's voice shrieked from behind her. Victoire startled and turned to see her younger sister walking inside the room.

"Yes…I—I got back a couple of minutes ago," she said turning her head towards the window again.

"So? How did it go?" her sister asked. Victoire shrugged.

"How did what go?"

"Weren't you at Teddy's place?"

Victoire's heart flipped. She decided to not face her sister to seem less obvious. "No," she lied. "I—he had things to do and so did I…"

"Oh…" Dominique sounded disappointed. "I'll tell Maman that you're here…she was wondering if you were having dinner with us."

"I'm not hungry," Victoire said, short of breath.

"Fine…" Dominique said dryly. Victoire heard her sister walking back to the door.

"Dom?" she called, turning around. Dominique's eyes widened. "Have you ever—"

"—Victoire are you alright?" she asked astonished.

"Yes! Why?" Victoire reacted disconcerted. Dominique couldn't have possibly read her that fast.

"Your lip is bleeding," she pointed out, wrinkling her face. Victoire took the tip of her fingers to her lower lip, to feel nothing but the warm blood she hadn't noticed before. "Are you sure you're alright? You seem…"

Stressed? Unsteady? Going out of her mind?

"I'm just…a bit worried, that's all. You know…work stuff…"

"Oh…" Dominique frowned. "So? You were asking me something…"

"Right…" Victoire stopped to reconsider, but her despair gave her the little push she needed. "Have you ever done something really wrong but really good at the same time?"

"What?" Dominique frowned deeper. "What are you talking about?"Victoire looked at her sister, but didn't answer. Dominique waited a few seconds. "Just how good was it?" she asked suspiciously.

Victoire breathed in as deeply as her lungs allowed her. "Really, really…great."

"Then why would it be wrong?" Dominique asked. Victoire sighed.

"Because it is Dominique…"

"Maybe if you told me what you're talking about…" her sister offered, finding a spot to sit at the edge of Victoire's old bed. There was no way she was going to tell Dominique what had just happened. Her sister might have grown with the years, but her mouth was still too big for her size, and Victoire couldn't afford her secret being out in the open. Besides, Dominique adored Teddy and she would meddle in the situation trying to get them back together. And that was none of her business.

"Well…actually," Victoire started, sitting by her sister. "You know when you love something but you don't remember how much you love it until you have it again?"

Dominique's estranged face was a poem to read. "Um…I really don't know what you're talking about…"

"Right…" Victoire said, insisting on explaining this to Dominique without having to confess the actual story. "Well…you love cinnamon blueberry tarts, right?" she asked, remembering how Dominique ate an entire tray once when she was left alone for an entire afternoon with a fresh badge.

"Merlin, yes…" Dominique said. "Whipped cream on top?"

"Urgh, I still don't get how you can put whipped—never mind, yes with whipped cream on top."

"I love them…" said Dominique with a satisfied smile. Victoire hid her disgust.

"Alright then, imagine having to live without it for a long time. But then you suddenly get a chance to try it again, and you just don't see how you went on without it…and you see that all you want is…more. Get it?"

Dominique was quiet for a moment. "No. I would never survive too long without blueberry tarts."

Victoire sighed and rolled her eyes. "What if you were forced to?"

"Why would I be forced to?"

"Because you are! It's a metaphor!" Victoire said entering desperation. She was strongly regretting having compared Teddy to a blueberry tart. Besides, Dominique would never understand until she found a man significant enough for her to put sweets in second place.

"Well…if it is a metaphor then just take the damn tart if it's so damn good!" Dominique retorted. "I really don't get it. You're going to have to explain it in good old English."

"I can't Dominique…" Victoire murmured. "I'm sorry…"

"Are you sure this has nothing to do with Teddy?"

"Of course not!" she reacted, with a laugh that tried to simulate mockery, but came out of her lips filled with cynicism. "Not everything has something to do with Teddy…"

"Well…then I think I just lost interest," her sister said. Victoire chuckled and looked out the window, her hands playing on her lap. Dominique took one of Victoire's nervous hands. "I just want to make sure you are alright…" she said, sounding concerned. Victoire smiled.

"I'm fine," she said, staring at the window one more time, wondering how long it would be until she heard from Teddy again. She wished she could be more like Evelyn or even like Leo. That way she would still be at Teddy's place or she would already be on her way back to Paris.

Truth was that staying in the middle, with nothing but uncertainty was eating her alive, and that meant only one thing: she didn't want things to go back to normal yet. She wanted and needed to face Teddy before giving the subject more inner thought.

She breathed deeply as she felt Dominique leaving the room. The memories of the last two hours had cleared up, organizing inside her head. She recalled her attitude towards the kiss, how she froze to the situation, to the feelings it unleashed. She remembered Teddy's patience, his steady attitude, while she was breaking like a cracker.

Now, in the sudden darkness of her room she hated the way she had reacted. The need of staying beside him, close to him took over her. She couldn't stand it one more minute. She needed him back.

--

Teddy lifted the two glasses and the empty bottle of wine from the floor. He took them to the kitchen and walked back to the living room to throw himself on the green couch. He breathed deeply and closed his eyes, almost grateful for the silence of the room, a silence that soon broke when the main door opened.

Chloe walked in and turned the light of the living room on, she startled once she saw that Teddy was in it.

"What are you doing here in the dark?" she laughed softly. Teddy shrugged, giving her a small smile.

"How was the game?" he managed to ask, as she took off her light jacket and walked to the coat closet.

"It was great…" she said, before stopping cold, her expression changing drastically. She turned to him, and Teddy kept his glance firm and steady.

"So…Victoire was here," she stated. Teddy nodded once. Chloe leaned down and picked up a picture from the pile that held Teddy's share of the belongings. He assumed the picture was the one of Victoire in the Palace of Versailles. Chloe studied the photograph intently.

"She really is beautiful, isn't she?" she said smoothly. Teddy frowned and said nothing to that statement. Chloe let the picture fall off her hands and into the pile of things. "She seems to have left in a hurry. She didn't take anything, _or_ you didn't let her take anything. Which one it is?" she asked coldly, raising her eyes up to him. She walked towards Teddy and stood close to him.

"A bit of both," he answered roughly, his throat feeling dry. A small, angry smile grew on her face.

"You were expecting me right now, weren't you?" she said sharply, sitting on the coffee table in front of him.

"I was…"

"I knew I shouldn't have gone to that game," she said with the same cynical smile she wore before.

"Chloe, it's not your fault."

"I know it isn't," she said acidly. Chloe crossed her arms, her eyes were accusing Teddy of everything he had done, thought and felt in the past hours. Her solid sight was not encouraging at all. He took a moment. He hadn't been given the time to put his thoughts in order, although he didn't feel like he needed that. He knew what he wanted, he had always known and the possibility of having it again was beginning to seem real. He wasn't going to waste that small chance, the only chance he had been given since the day he realized that letting Victoire go off without him was the hardest thing he had ever done.

He didn't need to think things through anymore, he had done a lot of thinking in the past years. To hell with all that maddening introspection.

"So?" Chloe demanded, clearly sick if his silent episode.

"What do you want to know?" he asked, giving the subject a little more time.

"Did you kiss her?" she said firmly. He was already familiar with her solid character, but her cold attitude towards the subject amazed him.

Short silence.

"Yes."

Chloe looked down at the floor. She breathed out, her sarcastic smile had become part of her. "That was… straightforward. I would have preferred it if you lied," she admitted. The guilt Teddy had been managing to control began to take over him, filling every part of his body.

"Chloe…I'm sorry, but I'm not going to lie to you," he said softly. She nodded a few times and took a deep breath. "You don't deserve that." Chloe's sarcastic laugh filled the room.

"Did you two--"

"--No," he answered fast. He knew well what she was attempting to ask. A trace of relief filled her face for a few seconds.

"Would you have…done it—"

"—How's that relevant?" he frowned.

"I guess it isn't. You're a guy…I should ask _her_ instead if she was willing to—"

"—You don't have to ask her _anything_. This is between you and me," he said calmly.

"It was until this weekend, now it seems like a three people ride."

Teddy breathed out strongly. He again fell into absolute silence. Chloe looked down at the floor, but it wasn't long before she lifted her head up again and looked strongly into his eyes.

"I'm going to be straight and clear about this," she announced coldly. "I'm willing to pretend like nothing happened here," she breathed in. Something in her rigid posture told Teddy that she was bottling her anger. Her cold way of solving things still surprised him. "I'm willing to...understand why you did this, as long as you promise me that it won't happen again."

He tried to get something out of her steady eyes. She was negotiating, offering a fair bargain. He had the option of taking it and leaving the past events as a result of a moment of weakness.

"But…I need you to promise me that it won't be like this every time she comes back," she said then, although she didn't understand just how wise her words were. Victoire was always going to come back, and he was always going to be expecting her to come back. That was never going to change, and he could either assume this reality or fool himself to think he could pull off another pointless separation.

Victoire had changed in the past year. She went away as a girl and came back as a woman. There were things he didn't know about her, things that might have changed significantly, things he wanted to find out for himself. Teddy knew very little about those changes, but he was able to see more than that. He knew her better than anybody else, and now he knew the things she had been hiding from him. She wasn't over them, just like him. She wouldn't admit it but it wasn't necessary to admit anything, holding her in his arms had been more than enough to know, even it was for a very brief moment.

"Chloe…" he began. "I'm really sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I really am sorry."

--

_Artist: Lifehouse_

_Lyrics:_

_Desperate for changing__  
__Starving for truth__  
__I'm closer to where I started__  
__Chasing after you_

_I'm falling even more in love with you__  
__Letting go of all I've held on to__  
__I'm standing here until you make me move__  
__I'm hanging by a moment here with you_

_Forgetting all I'm lacking__  
__Completely incomplete__  
__I'll take your invitation__  
__You take all of me now_

_I'm falling even more in love with you__  
__Letting go of all I've held on to__  
__I'm standing here until you make me move__  
__I'm hanging by a moment here with you__  
__I'm living for the only thing I know__  
__I'm running and not quite sure where to go__  
__And I don't know what I'm diving in to__  
__I'm hanging by a moment here with you_

_There's nothing else to lose__  
__There's nothing else to find__  
__There's nothing in the world__  
__That could change my mind__  
__There is nothing else..._


	30. Don't go Away

**Don't go Away**

_June 7, 2020_

**--**

She walked the grounds, across the grass and the small piles of sand the wind had formed. Her bare feet bordered the edge of the risk. She sighed. It was very dark outside, the moon was reflected perfectly on the ocean… and still…nothing.

"Victoire," her mother said once she caught up with her. "When are you coming inside? You 'aven't eaten anyzing."

Victoire didn't answer. She shrugged and Fleur stroke her hair gently. "Are you alright?" she whispered.

If she heard that question _one more time…_

"Maman…" she said, breathing in for patience. "I am perfectly fine. I'm brilliant. I'm…" her heart skipped a beat when she noticed that every star was out in the sky. It was officially night time. "I'm great…" she concluded sadly.

"Is zere anyzing you want to talk about?" Fleur's gentle hands tightened Victoire's shoulders. She shook her head. There was a long minute of silence. The presence of her mother wasn't doing anything to calm her anxiety. She looked up at the moon again, and for a very short second lamented that it wasn't full. Full moons made her father unsteady, he rarely got any sleep during those nights. And although it was a painful scene to watch, Victoire used to sit by him during the entire night to keep him company, at the edge of that very same risk. For some reason, their best father to daughter conversations had taken place under full moons.

She remembered that ever since she was little she insisted on staying out with him until dawn. At first she'd fall sleep on his lap, resting her head against his chest. With time she learned to stay awake as long as he did. It became a moment made just for them. She loved to think that she made his pain easier to handle, she loved to think her presence comforted him. Tonight she wished for a full moon, because she was certain that the thing that was battling inside of her wasn't going to let her sleep at all. She wanted to be the comforted one, without having to actually talk about it.

"Where's dad?" she asked sadly.

"He was very tired. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit ze pillow."

"Oh…"

Another moment of stillness and silence let Fleur know that Victoire wasn't going to return to the house any minute soon. "Maman…" Victoire whispered, when she saw that her mother was about to leave. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course," Fleur said, gaining interest, walking back to her daughter.

"But you have to be honest..."

"Why wouldn't I be 'onest?" she said with a soft laugh.

"It's about Teddy." Fleur's face changed drastically under the pure, clear moonlight. Victoire could easily read how uncomfortable she became within seconds, as if the subject was restricted for her to consider talking about it.

Victoire was guilty for that behaviour. Breaking up with Teddy had disturbed the entire family. She was lucky she left for France two weeks later, because she couldn't put up with her brothers' questions, and her cousins' constant meddling. The only place she felt like hiding in was at her aunt Hermione's house. Hermione didn't push her with questions like Ginny did, the kids were at Hogwarts and Ron was too awkward about it to even ask. And during her first month away she had to stop opening any letter that came from her sister, because they all were of how miserable Teddy looked and how little he was sleeping or how thin he was, and none of that eased Victoire's own pain.

She made it a rule at Shell Cottage, as strict as rules could be, that no one was to mention her three year relationship with Teddy, ever again.

"Maman…" she said softly. "These last months…have you see him…happy?" she asked, her voice trembling to the possibilities the question embraced.

"What?" Fleur said, sounding thrown off. "Victoire...don't ask me zat."

"You are my mother, you have to answer me, and you have to be honest," she reminded her.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "I don't see him zat often. He's okay, He seems—"

"—Maman..."

"Well..." Fleur sighed, looked at the ocean for less than a minute, and then looked back at her daughter's face. "Teddy was...crushed when you left."

"I'm not asking you that," she said losing her patience.

"Let me finish," her mother said sternly, before retaking her soft tone. "At first I almost never saw him," she said sadly. "After monzs he began to come to ze 'ouse now and zen. He was...dealing with zings, but he never stopped looking somewhat...miserable, or awkward, I don't know..." she hesitated. Victoire began to feel an pain inside her stomach.

"Maman—"

"—I hate to admit zat we were getting used to zat new side of Teddy," she continued, giving Victoire's pleading face little importance. "And...now, zese last months, I've seen more of him. I guess I've seen 'im smiling more often as well. He looks calm, content. He ees fine...I zink. He's still not the same, zough."

"So, he is happy, isn't he?" she asked, hiding the pain of her voice.

"I don't know Victoire," Fleur said, putting a loose hair behind Victoire's ear. "I—guess he ees, in a way. But..." she hesitated, placing her hand under Victoire's chin. "I've never seen 'im 'appier in my life zan when I saw 'im wiz you. You two 'ad somezing very strong going on."

Victoire's heart shrunk again, her stomach burning now. "Maman...I really don't want to hear that."

"I know, I know...I'm not allowed to talk about zath," she said with a mischievous smile, rolling her eyes at Victoire's stubbornness. "But your fazer and I always zought you were lucky to 'ave each ozer—"

"Maman! Just...stop."

"_Tu est une fille Têtu_." (1) Fleur said, laughing softly. "I'm going to bed. Be sure to use ze spell that locks ze doors when you come back inside." Victoire nodded, and after giving her a soft kiss on the forehead her mother walked out of her sight, and into the cottage.

Victoire crossed her arms and decided to sit and settle on the grass, to think or wait, for anything…

What exactly was she waiting for? She had no answer. And that made the waiting even more stressful. If Teddy did return (a possibility that was beginning to fade in Victoire's head as the pain of her stomach grew) was everything going to get fixed right away?

But she couldn't obsess with that at the moment, her head could barely take the fact that Teddy hadn't returned yet. Her mother was right, back then there was something strong between them. She remembered how much Evelyn used to tease her with that, saying that Victoire's feelings were more of adoration than anything else, for she behaved like Teddy was the single most important thing in the world. As much as Victoire said that her friend was exaggerating, she had to admit that she didn't conceive her life without Teddy in it, until she was forced to experience it.

Her perspective of things had certainly changed with his choice of letting her go on her own to a different country, where she found a career on her own. The magic of her new life captivated her at the beginning, in spite the pain. France, especially Paris had many captivating qualities. Once the one year program was over Victoire didn't think twice her decision of staying and accepting a tempting job offer, especially because she wasn't ready to go back. She chose the foreign country, with new exciting people and many new things for her life.

But the magic faded fast. Now she was just living in a different country, with strange people, and with so many things missing in her life...

"Victoire!" her mother called. She sighted regretfully. A moment of privacy, all she needed was that! When she turned around she saw Fleur standing by the back door. "Can you come 'ere for a moment?"

"Maman…"

"_Maintenant, sil te plait!_"(2) French. That meant she was really serious. Victoire stood up and walked slowly up to the cottage, rubbing her hands against her arms to stop the wind that was wrapping her. "Zere's someone for you in ze living room."

"What?" her heart raced, blood filling her veins, her breathing running short. Her feet suddenly sunk in the grass. She breathed in, preparing herself for whatever was about to happen.

"She says she really needs to speak wiz you…"

"_She_?"

Fleur's expression was solemn when she nodded. Victoire frowned. "Who's in there?"

"I zink you better see for yourself."

With that she knew.

She walked with surprising calmness, passed her mother and entered the house straight towards the living room.

"Hi, Chloe," said Victoire to the woman who was standing close to the front door, her arms crossed, her face lacked of any expression. She didn't seem to want to walk more into the house, maybe afraid of touching anything. She didn't salute back. She waited patiently, and Victoire had absolutely no idea what it was that Chloe was waiting for. They looked at each other from the distance, neither of them willing to take the last step forward. "What can I do for you?" she asked with a whole deal of formality. Suddenly she couldn't stand the twirl that was taking over her stomach. Chloe wasn't supposed to be there, Teddy was. After hours of waiting she was left off with none other than the person she couldn't look straight into the eyes.

"I need to talk with you," Chloe said coldly. "Privately, that is…"

Victoire turned around, there was no one in the living room, but she was sure that her mother was in the kitchen, waiting to see what all that was about, and Louis or Dominique would eventually interrupt them. She also didn't need for anybody to find out what had happened. Things needed to be kept on a low profile, at least to the eyes of her family, because the word would spread in a matter of seconds. She could trust her mother, though, she wouldn't make her issues public with the rest of the family. But she thought that it was better to avoid taking any chances.

"Let's just…we better go outside," said Victoire, as she took off towards the main door and out into the dark. She walked quickly, conscious that Chloe was following her , and once she reached a spot close to the risk, where nobody would interrupt, she turned around, her hands crossed bringing warmth to her body, and saw that Chloe had already reached her. "So…"

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked.

"I'm sorry…what?"

"I said, what are you doing?" she remarked with a dry voice.

"I don't think that's—"

"—are you after him again? Or are you just here to mess everybody's life up? Really, what is it that you're doing?"

"He told you," Victoire stated.

"Of course he told me," Chloe laughed sarcastically. "He still thinks honesty is the best way to go," she rolled her eyes.

"Listen, I'm really sorry about this but—"

"—But what? You couldn't help yourself? You know what? I don't have to put up with all this. I don't care how many years you two spent together, that doesn't give you the right to appear here and do whatever you want with him. He's not your puppet."

"Listen Chloe, I know you're upset, but you can't come here and talk to me like that. You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't give me that rubbish. I know exactly of what I'm talking about." She walked up to Victoire, three steps. Victoire stayed still on her spot. "_You_ are everywhere," she pointed her with her long pale finger. "You are in half of his stories, you're in his pictures, you're in his family. You're everywhere!" she said awfully loudly. "Everywhere! God Damn it, you're even in the furniture. Everything in his life is related to you in some way! And I'm not an idiot, I know there's nothing I can do about that."

Victoire breathed slowly, watching Chloe giving herself into anger. "And I even welcomed you! I was trying to be nice to you! And what for? So you could find the perfect moment to get under my boyfriend again?"

Victoire clicked; her face hardened to the threat Chloe's words represented. She didn't even notice when she drew her wand out of the pocket of her jacket. "Oh please, you never welcomed me anywhere. You were just trying to win Teddy over. You would have done anything to see me disappearing."

"And I was right to want that, wasn't I? It took you...what? Two days to get him to cheat on me with you? You think it's hilarious to just…play with him every time you decide to take a vacation?"

"You do not have the right to come to my house and insult me like that, you better—"

"—He is my boyfriend, and I'm not going to let you get in the middle of this."

Everything stopped for a moment. Victoire unconsciously loosened her grip on her wand.

"He's your _what_?" Victoire whispered faintly. She had heard the words coming out of Chloe's mouth many times for the last minutes, but now they finally made sense. Chloe laughed, dry and sarcastically.

"Oh…you thought he'd break up with me after that, didn't you? It was just some kiss Victoire. Exactly what where you expecting?"

"I—"

"—you must think way too much of yourself..._We_ have something..."

Victoire controlled her voice when speaking. "If you're so sure of what you have with him...then why are you here?"

Chloe's expression changed, she hadn't been expecting that, and Victoire could tell she was controlling herself as well.

"Listen. There are things I'm willing to put up with. I'm even willing to put up with the ghost of you...with the actual _you_, though, I'm not."

"Exactly what it is that you want to hear from me? That I'm leaving? That you don't have anything to worry about because he doesn't take me seriously enough?" she said, standing as still and firm as her legs allowed her. Chloe shook her head.

"Just go away..." she whispered.

"Just get out of my house..." Victoire said firmly.

The smile that grew on Chloe's face was small, preoccupied even, but it was still a smile, and Victoire hated it instantly. Once the girl disapparated from the grounds of Shell Cottage, Victoire took a few minutes before going back inside.

"What 'appened?" her mother asked once a very unsteady Victoire entered the kitchen.

"Nothing. She just...she just came to clear some things up for me," she said, her heart racing inside her chest with every second. Everything around her suddenly felt cold.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, short of breath. Fleur stared at her intently.

"That woman...what did she say to you?"

Victoire didn't answer, her breathing was still very fast paced. Fleur walked up to her impatiently, shaking her head.

"She 'as to understand. Give her some time. She will understand zat you and Teddy are just friends."

"Maman…stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Stop saying that. It's not even true, Teddy and I are not friends," she finished as she took off to walk up the stairs, preventing that her mother spoke again.

--

Once the stillness of the night came back to Shell Cottage, somebody knocked the front door with enough firmness to be heard upstairs. Teddy waited impatiently outside. When he apparated there he had contemplated the house from the distance for a short while, always gazing directly at Victoire's window. At first he felt tempted of climbing up the tree that led him to it, as he had done so many times in the past. He wanted and needed to see her. He had waited long enough that night. When Chloe left his flat, after hours of talking, he sat in the darkness of his living room trying to put things in order inside his head.

He wanted to know what to do, what to say, and how to calm what was probably going to be a very disconcerted Victoire. And then, once he realized that he wasn't going to find a decent answer by being alone in his house, he headed for the place that was calling him. He decided not to climb up her window, just to avoid freaking her out. It was late, everybody in Shell Cottage was sleeping, but he was sure that she wasn't, and he hoped, with all the energy that was taking over his chest that she was the one to answer that door.

A woman did open the door; same eye colour, same skin tone, same chin, and very similar set of lips. But that wasn't the same smile or hair colour, and according to Teddy's judgment she was not as beautiful.

"Hi Fleur," he said with a small smile, leaning slightly down to kiss her soft cheek.

"Teddy!" her eyes widened, surprised. " How are you?"

"I'm...good," he said softly.

" How ees Andromeda? I 'aven't seen her in ages!"

"She's brilliant, thanks," he said, trying to talk between the small spaces of air that Fleur was leaving. But she didn't let him speak.

"How's work? I read your last article. It was very clever," she said proudly, and Teddy recognized how nervous she was.

"Fleur," he said quickly, before she asked something else. "Can I talk to Victoire?"

Fleur's smile faded. She tightened her grip on the door and did exactly what Victoire did whenever she wanted to avoid something, she looked down.

"Teddy..." she whispered when she looked up again. "She left."

"What?" He hadn't considered her not being there. It didn't make sense, it was too late to be going anywhere. Did she go to look for him? Was she at his place? He knew he had taken too long to go to Shell Cottage, she surely lost her patience.

"Where—did she—did she say where she went?"

Fleur breathed in. "No, Teddy...she..._left_. She went back."

Teddy froze on the ground. "She what?" he asked astonished. That didn't make sense either.

"Yes, a few hours ago. I asked 'er to at least wait for tomorrow, but she was very upset."

"She...she didn't—She left, just like that? She didn't even…"

"Sweet'eart, I'm sorry...she...why don't you come inside?"

"No, no…I...I just—" he walked two steps back, his eyes fixated on thin air. "I can't believe she just…she just—She didn't say anything?" he suddenly asked, trying to find a logical answer in Fleur's face. She shook her head, her eyes filled with worry.

"No, but—well..." she bit her lip, another thing her daughter inherited. "Why don't you write her? Maybe you should go. There are things you need to—"

"—Fleur, I think she made it more than clear," he cut her.

--

_June 8, 2020_

Victoire laughed, bitterly, irony filling her voice. She rested her back against the bench of the park she was sitting at. Leo stared at her intently, listening, as he always did.

"I actually thought he was going to break up with her. I must be the stupidest woman there is. I was so sure of—" she chuckled. "Actually I don't even know what I was so sure of. I don't know what I was expecting. I thought I knew him, I thought I knew him so well, and now I can't believe I actually thought that he was just going to put an end to his relationship, just like that...because of me." She paused. "She's right. I really must think a lot of myself."

She turned to her friend. Leo said nothing, and his expressionless face began to bother her. "Go on, say it."

"Say what?" he frowned.

"Say what you're thinking, that I'm stupid for falling into this, that I should have seen it coming, and that I deserve it."

"I wasn't going to say that..." Leo shook his head. "Really..."

Victoire sighed. "But I am stupid," she shut her eyes. "He didn't even go to my house, the least he could have done was say it to my face," she murmured, her anger still boiling inside of her.

"Look at the bright side. You sure gave him a rough weekend...you got him in a lot of trouble with his girlfriend," Leo laughed softly, most likely trying to cheer her up, but Victoire punched him, she didn't find anything of that situation entertaining.

"Maybe he deserves someone like her, I'm sure she doesn't mess with his head the way I do. I'm just...a big load of trouble..."

Leo frowned again. "What? Please, Victoire, he's the one who keeps haunting you. He's the one who doesn't let you move on. He's the one who should back off, not you."

"I wish him a lifetime of happiness. I hope they get married and have lots of metamorphic babies together," she said, between her teeth, her throat locking. Leo smiled, and shook his head.

"You don't want that," he said. "I bet you wanted to hex her head off the entire time she was at your parent's house."

Victoire sighed. "For a very brief moment I thought I was going to," she admitted. Leo laughed again. "I mean, she was so...argh, she was so—"

"—See? You don't wish them a lifetime of happiness," he whispered. Victoire looked at her friend, and shook her head. She sighed again, exhausted. She hadn't slept in over twenty four hours.

"What happened at his flat was...I hadn't felt that in years..." she said very softly.

"One question. What did you think that was going to happen if he broke up with her?"

"I—I don't know. I mean, I couldn't think straight. After I left his place all I wanted to do was...go back. But I don't know what would have happened." Leo nodded.

"Don't you think you might have...left too quickly?" he asked.

"What?"

"Well...maybe you should have stayed. It doesn't sound like you had enough time to talk..."

"What—talk? Are you joking? Talk? How can I talk with someone who doesn't even show up? And I thought you hated Teddy. I thought you said I was better off, and now you think I should have stayed and watch him rub his girlfriend on my face?" she stood up, violently.

"Wait, where are you going?" he asked calmly, pulling her down on the bench again. "I'm on your side... I'm just saying that...maybe you two need to talk, even if it is to give yourselves closure."

"Closure? Leo...talking isn't going to make this better...and...to be honest I don't think I can put up with this again. I mean, seeing him is just—every time I meet him something happens and I always end up here, talking to you about it. Only that this time it went too far..." Air left her lungs, she looked down at the pavement. "I'd like to know if this is ever going to end."

"The question is...do you want it to end?"

Victoire looked up. "...you are killing me here."

"I'm just asking because—"

"—Do you really think I enjoy all this? Do you think I love coming back from home feeling like this?

Leo shrugged. Victoire's eyes wondered across the park, from a dog that chased squirrels, to a kid who was being taught how to ride his bike, and finally to a couple that walked together, their hands wrapped around each other's waist.

"I hate them..." she said bitterly. Leo looked at her, and then caught glance of the happy couple.

"Do you want that? Because you could have it, you know. Or are you going to tell me that you don't think you're going to fall in love again?"

"No! I mean, yes! I might. I just..." she didn't dare to say it. She would never say out loud that she found it most unlikely to ever feel half of what she felt with Teddy. Those fifteen minutes at his flat had been more than enough to prove what she had been trying to hide. "Never mind."

Leo smiled, and threw and arm over her shoulders. "What about that bloke? Devan... is it? The guy you dated a few weeks ago..."

"He's okay, I guess, but I don't know... I barely know him."

"You said he was fun."

"He was but—"

"—Victoire, how are you ever going to get to know a guy if you keep dismissing them after a week?"

Victoire looked up at him, shrugging faintly. She didn't think she cared enough to find out. They sat in silence, peacefully. The dog kept chasing squirrels pointlessly, and the kid fell of his bike once. The couple sat on the grass across them, and it wasn't long until the man's head was resting on the woman's lap.

"Hey...for the record, I don't _hate_ you ex boyfriend. I just didn't understand why he left you in the first place. You were a mess when I met you and I thought that guy was a jerk for doing that to you—"

"Wait a minute. _Didn't _understand? _Thought_ he was a jerk?"

Leo silenced, and Victoire's eyebrow arched highly. He laughed softly.

"Well... I kind of get it now, all that doing it for your own good crap...letting you come here and all...it must have been a hard for him to do."

Victoire frowned, her jaw fell open in a heavy move. She remembered defending Teddy from Leo's hard opinion, during the first months of their separation, mainly because she was secretly positive that he was going to come to France and beg her to mend things up. He did so, but too late for her sanity, and some uncontrollable fierce feeling made her stand firm as she turned him down. And now, almost a year later Leo decided that it was time to understand Teddy. She really didn't need that at the moment.

"Great..." she mumbled, before sighing. "You love Teddy now. Great timing...just when I needed you to hate him."

Leo chuckled. "Victoire, you might as well admit it. You still l—"

"—I don't want to hear it. He has someone else...he chose to be with that someone else...I don't need to hear anything different than that," she concluded, decisively, painfully.

--

_A/N: Guys, __hang on! I'll be solving this very soon. Promise! *sighs* which means that this is coming to an end...sooner than later. I really don't want it to end....=(_

_As always, please comment! Do you hate Teddy, do you hate Victoire? Chloe? Do you want to smack one of them in the head? _

Footnotes:

(1) French for: You're a stubborn girl.

(2) French for: Now, Please!

_Artist: Oasis. Lyrics: _

_A Cold and frosty morning there's not a lot to say__  
__About the things caught in my mind__  
__As the day was dawning my plane flew away__  
__With all the things caught in my mind__  
__And I wanna be there when you're...__  
__Coming down__  
__And I wanna be there when you hit the ground_

_So don't go away say what you say__  
__But say that you'll stay__  
__Forever and a day...in the time of my life__  
__Cos I need more time yes I need more time__  
__Just to make things right_

_Damn my situation and the games I have to play__  
__With all the things caught in my mind__  
__Damn my education I can't find the words to say__  
__About all the things caught in my mind__  
__Me and you what's going on?__  
__All we seem to know is how to show__  
__The feelings that are wrong…_


	31. Time is Running Out

_A/N: Another long wait (but not as long as the first one...!)_

_I have to warn you, there is mild (very mild, I promise) swearing in this chapter. It's not me, though, it's the characters!__ Again, thanks so much for the reviews. And to those who have added me to their alerts but haven't said anything yet...would you mind telling me the reason you like the story? It really helps to know! _

**Time is running out**

_November 20, 2020_

--

"Happy Birthday Dad!" Victoire said under the front door of Shell Cottage, throwing her arms with all her strength behind Bill's neck. Her father returned the enthusiastic hug tightly.

"This sure is a surprise," he said when she kissed his cheek softly, a wide smile on his face.

"I wouldn't have missed it," she explained quietly, and somewhat sadly. "I already missed enough family birthdays these last months, I couldn't miss my dad's as well. She stopped. The need of explaining her latest absence was taking over. "I've been so busy with work that I haven't been able to come to visit—"

"—You don't need to explain yourself that much," he cut her, caressing her head. "You're here now, that's all that matters."

Unfortunately for Victoire, the only person who didn't demand an explanation for her long physical disappearance was her father. As she had predicted, the rest of her family welcomed her with hugs, kisses and huge reproaches for not setting one foot in England for the last five months. The job excuse wasn't enough for them of course, especially for her grandmother, who was still very upset with Victoire for not coming to her birthday, less than a month ago.

But the bickering didn't last as long as she thought it would, and soon she felt free to sit back on the couch with a slice of her grand's apple pie. The family gathering was quieter than usual because the kids were at Hogwarts, all except for Dominique, Molly and Lucy, who had graduated that year, and were playing Quidditch outside with George, Ron and Harry. She found a source of entertainment with Audrey and Angelina, as they updated her with the recent progress of Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Ron had captured a new place in Scotland to open a new shop to add to their growing chain, while Fred and Angelina had just bought the local next to their main shop in Diagon Alley to expand it. Audrey had been working on the latest touches of a new product line that was to be launched for Christmas.

She relaxed herself, and thought of how stupid she had been for postponing her return that much. Work wasn't the reason, but the only person who knew that was her mother, and not even she knew the entire story. Victoire didn't think she had the will to come back after the mess she had left during her last visit. Today, she dared to return, not only because it was her father's birthday, but also because her life had turned around in determinative ways and she literally needed to hit home before making any final decisions.

The peace and the joy of the environment broke, for her only, when the reason to her last disappearance arrived at Shell Cottage. Teddy walked inside and saluted Bill. He was alone. Victoire had already heard three months ago, through Dominique of course, that he had broken up with his girlfriend. She had no idea of the motive to the final rupture, and she didn't even know when it had happened. Dominique had heard it through Lily, who overheard a conversation between Harry and Ginny. When Dominique tried to question Teddy about it, she didn't get any extra information out of his mouth…he clearly didn't want Victoire hearing the news.

Victoire grabbed the cushion under her tightly, unconsciously. She didn't stand up and once he reached the couch she was shearing with Angelina and Audrey, Teddy was the one to freeze on his spot. His face became solemn, and not even one string of his brown, uneven hair moved an inch.

"Hey, Teddy…" she whispered sheepishly. Teddy stared at her gravely, his chest rose for a moment, his chin went up. For a while, during that cold silence that was throwing tense strings around the two of them, and around the oblivious women that were sitting by her, Victorie thought that he wasn't going to say anything back.

"Hey…" he said softly, and that was as far as their conversation went. Victoire caught the sudden anger his eyes were developing. She didn't look down though, she kept her glance firm until he turned around and left her behind.

"What was _that_?" Angelina questioned, her voice filled with surprise. Victoire breathed in deeply, she shook her head, her eyes suddenly absent.

"Nothing…" she whispered, and said no more on the subject.

Teddy stayed as far away as possible from her. At first she did the same thing. She was, after all, still very mad at him for what he did. She didn't care that he appeared at Shell Cottage later that night, right after she left, as her mother later had told her. _He_ had chosen another girl, and she had to hear it straight from the other girl's mouth. Nothing could explain how humiliated she had been, or how stupid she felt every time she remembered the incident. Fleur insisted that he seemed anxious when he came over, but he knew well where to find her, and if there was something important enough to be said other than:_ thanks for the memories but the current times are much better_, then he could have looked for her to say it. So, clearly there wasn't.

But as the evening went on, she couldn't stop feeling stunned by his hard, cold attitude, and by the way he pretended like she wasn't even there. Not only did he not look at her once, he simply didn't seem to notice when she was around, she was completely invisible. Her stomach took a twist. _She_ was the one with the reasons to be upset. _She_ was the one who was supposed to be ignoring him, not the other way around. What could possibly have him _that_ mad at her? Curiosity and the sudden need of showing him how imbecile he was behaving mixed up, and she spent the rest of the evening trying to catch his sight, but it never happened, she might as well have not been there at all.

Her impulses would have grown, to the point of pulling him out of the house to demand him an explanation for his behaviour, only that there was another thing on her mind that wasn't going to leave her alone until she spoke about it.

She spotted her mother entering the kitchen and followed her there. Ginny and Hermione were inside as well, helping to put the dirty dishes in the sink. Victoire sat down on one of the stools to keep them company, while Fleur set a huge pot of tea on the stove.

"I hear you're dating someone," Ginny brought out without a warning. Victoire didn't know that Dominique or her mother had already told the rest of the family. Maybe not everybody knew, but if Ginny knew, then somehow the message must have reached Teddy's ears as well.

Good. It was better if he already knew. Maybe that was the reason he was so mad at her. If that was right then he deserved that much. Now that he was alone he probably hated the fact that his choice had been stupid. The tables had turned, she was in her entire right to date as many guys as she wanted.

"Yes," she said, with moderated enthusiasm in her voice. "His name is Devan."

"That's wonderful..." Ginny said, with a soft tone, but somehow Victoire thought that she wasn't being very honest about her joy. Maybe it was all just part of her subjectivism, but she thought she felt that Ginny would never approve of anybody that wasn't Teddy. She already had to live through that with Dominique, who already hated Devan, in spite of never actually meeting him. It was all insane, her private love life was anything but private. Her family had a strong opinion about it and even when nobody said anything to her about Teddy, she knew that words were stuck in everybody's throat, waiting to burst and give out their opinion on something that clearly was nobody's business.

Right now words were definitely lining up inside Ginny's throat, but Victoire knew, and hoped, that her aunt was mature enough to hold them back, because right now she needed female advice in a determined matter and having all three of them in the same room was an opportunity she wasn't willing to turn down.

"So, tell us..."Hermione encouraged with her warm smile, as she sat down. "What's he like?"

"Well...he's great," she shrugged. "He's very attentive. He's an auror. We met at The Ministry...and well, we've been dating for the last months..."

"Is eet serious?" her mother asked. Victoire looked up, at Ginny standing by the sink, at Hermione sitting by her, and at Fleur standing next to the stove. All three of them wore the same questioning eyes. Victoire hesitated, but soon found the encouragement to speak.

"Well...actually...I didn't think it was serious..."

"But?" Fleur asked anxiously.

"Until he—actually he proposed to me...two days ago," she concluded. Silence filled the room, Victoire swallowed hard, that was going worse than what she had expected.

"Oh my—really?" Fleur said excited, rushing to her daughter. "I can't believe eet! You are getting married?"

"Maman...no. I'm not engaged, I'm saying he proposed to me."

"What?" Fleur stopped, her excitement faded.

"What did you say to him?" asked Hermione.

"I asked him for a few days...to think about it."

"Are you out of your mind?" Ginny snapped. Silence filled the kitchen again for a few seconds. Hermione and Fleur both turned towards Ginny abruptly, but her aunt's stern face was very determined to continue. Victoire became uncomfortably intimidated. "You are considering it?"

"Well...yes...I don't know, It's very rushed an all—"

"—You think?"

"Ginny..." Hermione whispered, but the red head paid no attention.

"You can't be serious…How long have you known him for?"

"Six months."

" It's ridiculous!" she said coldly, shaking her head.

"Ginny!" Hermione scolded.

"What? It's not like you're not thinking the exact same thing! It's completely insane. She's too young to be getting married and she doesn't really know the guy...he could be a psychopath!"

"Yes, Ginny, he's most likely to be a psychopath. Victoire isn't stupid, you know? Besides, you were only a couple of years older than her when you got married..." Hermione retorted.

"I've known Harry my entire life!"

"I 'aven't known Bill _my_ entire life, and we didn't date long before he asked me to marry him..." Fleur intervened, raising her eyebrow sternly.

"Well...that was different!"

"How is eet different?" Fleur shrieked, her face becoming proud. Victoire's eyes jumped constantly from her aunt to her mother.

"There was a war going on! People were getting married!"

"Are you saying I married Bill only because of a war?"

"Um—Maybe I just—" Victoire tried to intervene, sensing the high temperature of the environment, but the three women were too concentrated to pay attention to her.

"Well...no, but—it's completely different," Ginny retorted. "She doesn't have to rush herself like that. She may regret it!"

"Ginny we don't really know that...do we?" said Hermione.

"Wait a minute," Fleur intervened, finally turning to the subject of their fight. "You just left him...waiting?"

"Well...I have to think about it...right? I can't just jump into a decision that big..."

The three women stared at her, in silence.

"Sure…" Hermione said supportively, but very unconvinced.

"Oh, Hermione, don't give me that. Did you have to think anything through when Ron proposed to you?" Ginny threw at her. Hermione turned to her sister in law in a quick move.

"Oh...look who's talking, Miss '_why hasn't Harry proposed yet? I saw the ring in his closet, why hasn't he proposed?"_ Hermione shrieked, simulating something that sounded nothing like Ginny's current tone of voice. "It had taken Harry weeks to plan it and you almost blew it up, you know."

"Well, what's wrong with a little excitement? It was much more than what I see in her at the moment!" she declared, pointing sharply at Victoire, as the girl wished to melt into the floor. "The only thing she said when she talked about him was that he was very _attentive_. Seriously, Victoire? _Attentive_? I mean, romantic...sweet? Insanely hot? Anything is better than _attentive_!"

"I—I better—"

"She's right...you know," Fleur said, and Victoire turned her head abruptly.

"Maman!"

Fleur sighed. "Victoire...eet sounds like you're postponing eet."

"Maman, no—

"—when your father proposed I 'ad to restrain myself from yelling _yes_ before he actually finished asking ze question. I didn't want to seem desperate. But I didn't 'ave anyzing to zink about."

"I just want to make the right decision."

"Zat's…rubbish."

"Maman!"

"Victoire, I think so too..." Hermione said, posing her hand over Victoire's. "When you know...you just do. There's not much to think about, especially if you love him."

"What's more," Ginny said, letting her guard down as she walked up to her niece. "I don't think you'll find any answers in this kitchen, _or_ with any of us three," she suggested, rubbing Victoire's head lightly.

"Aunt Ginny," Victoire suddenly snapped. She wasn't willing to put up with that insinuation. "If you think this has _anything_ to do with Teddy—"

"—Teddy? Who said anything about Teddy?" Ginny said innocently, with a voice too sweet to be for real. "I didn't mention him, did you?" she said, facing Hermione.

"No...nobody did," Hermione followed, the same fake innocent voice taking over. Victoire shook her head and faced her mother, who was merely smiling. Victoire looked at the roof; a huge sigh escaped her lungs.

"So...how did my dad and uncles proposed?" she asked, a mild smile on her face. She couldn't believe she didn't know how his own father had proposed to her mother, but the subject never really crossed her mind before.

Hermione chuckled immediately. "Well, Ron practically spit it out, and it was more an order than a request. _Marry me!_ He said, in the middle of a kiss," Hermione said between laughs, followed by Ginny and Fleur.

"That's actually very sweet," Victoire replied.

"It was, and we were drenched under a rainfall. It was very romantic," Hermione smiled, giving herself into the memory. "He had a ring with him, so I guess he was waiting for the right moment..."

"Aunt Ginny?" Victoire asked, curiosity filling her again.

"Well..." Ginny began, clenching her eyes in concentration. "Harry took me to dinner, to this beautiful muggle place I loved, and I waited all night because I was sure he would pop the question there...but he didn't. Then we went to his flat and we lit some candles and poured some wine, and it took him like three bloody hours to take the stand. _But_..." she said proudly. "I have to say...he _did_ kneel down," she smiled.

Victoire chuckled. "Classic!" She said, Ginny nodded.

"You're not telling it right..." Hermione intervened, Ginny raised her eyebrow.

"Hey, you weren't there..." Ginny cut her.

"But I heard the story...from both sides..." she insisted.

"Fine...I _might_ have asked him to marry _me_ while he was giving out a very sweet speech. But I couldn't wait any longer!" she said, rolling her eyes. Victoire, along with Fleur and Hermione, laughed out loud. Ginny remained plain, allowing their mockery, but she intervened after a few minutes.

"Fleur! What about you?" she asked.

"Yes, maman, what about you?"

"Um...I zink I better not..." she said, a pink, delicate blush spreading over her cheeks and nose.

"Maman! I really want to know!"

Fleur laughed. "No, I don't zink..."

"Hey...now _I_ want to know!" Ginny intervened, filled with curiosity. Fleur smiled.

"Well...we were at his flat as well. But we weren't exactly having dinner...or drinking wine..._or_ lilting up candles..." she hinted.

"Oh god...no," Victoire wrinkled her nose. "No. Stop!"

"Argh, that's a bit more than what we wanted to know," Ginny stepped in.

Hermione laughed. "So, what? He just yelled it out or something?"

"No, he whispered eet...to my ear, after we had just...well, you all get what we were doing."

"No! Maman...please, stop talking..." Victoire pleaded, taking her hands to cover her face.

"Alright Fleur...yours wins," Hermione added. Ginny laughed out loud.

"Not yet! We're forgetting someone!" Ginny said, directing herself to Victoire. "No matter what you said, or what you haven't said yet...you were proposed to."

"Oh right! How did he do it?" Hermione asked.

Victoire's smile faded. The worries she had attempted to scare out of her mind were returning. "He... took me to the Eifel Tower, He knows I love the view from up there... and well, then he asked."

Silence filled the room. The three women who were sitting next to her said nothing. Victoire felt awful, but she would never, ever admit that the first person she thought of when Devan asked her the surprising question was Teddy.

The teapot that had been warming up made the loudest whistle she had ever heard.

"I'll get the tea!" Victoire offered, standing up quickly to reach the stove, wishing to escape the kitchen.

Once she walked out of the place she breathed in deeply, before offering tea to the members of her family who seemed to be having a pleasant time. Unfortunately, her parents' house wasn't big enough to avoid bumping into Teddy. She should have thought of it before volunteering to serve the drink.

She left him for last, and for a moment wondered if she could just skip him and walk straight to the kitchen with the teapot. But as soon as she convinced herself that _she_ wasn't the one that should be hiding, Victoire walked up to the lonely couch where Teddy was sitting at. He was wrapped in thought, and again her curiosity demanded to know what it was that he was thinking about. His face was stern, his sight was lost in his frown.

"Ted—do you want tea?" she asked strictly, almost mumbling the words, barely looking at him.

Teddy raised his eyes at her. He kept his cold silence for the longest seconds. Without saying anything at all he stood up and walked away from her. Victoire's jaw dropped. Filled with an anger she couldn't describe she watched as he said something to Bill fast. Bill nodded, and patted his back in two quick moves. Teddy turned, went for the chimney and disappeared quickly.

Victoire's fingers threatened to break the teapot she was holding. That was it. The final straw. He had no right to leave her standing like that. He had no right to leave words in her mouth. She wasn't letting that one pass by.

She was red in the face, but she didn't notice. A burning sensation covered her skin. Victoire walked into the kitchen, interrupting the conversation her aunts and her mother were still holding. She set the teapot on the sink and ignored the women's questions when she walked out of the kitchen again.

But once outside, her mind worked faster than her impulses. She walked up to her father and instinctively interrupted a conversation he was holding with her grandfather Arthur.

"Dad, is our chimney still connected to Teddy's?" she asked.

"Sure...I think it is..."

Victoire turned around and stepped inside the fireplace with a handful of Floo powder.

"Westorn Place 108," she said out loud, twice as mad as she had been ten minutes ago. A second later she was walking inside Teddy's flat. She knew he would be there, and she also knew that he wasn't going to open the door if she knocked.

He was there, sitting on his brown couch, staring into the chimney she had just walked out of. He looked at her firmly, but genuine hate would have had a more pleasant face than the one she was looking at. She paid no attention to that detail. She breathed in, trying not to scream her following question.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she hissed. His eyes hardened immediately. He suddenly laughed, softly, powerfully, sarcastically.

"You are actually asking me that..." he stated.

"Yes. I am. What the hell is your problem?" she insisted. He stood up, shaking his head with short moves, his own anger exiling from his skin, just like hers.

"You. You are my problem," he admitted, standing close to her, Victoire fought the impulse of stepping back.

"What?" she whispered, he chuckled again, with all the irony he had in him.

"You are getting married now?"

Victoire's face went pale, but she did her best at restraining her shock.

"How—did you hear us?"

"Yes, it turns out that Kitchens aren't as private as everybody thinks. I happened to be walking in..."

Victoire panted lightly, but soon controlled herself. She wasn't giving him the satisfaction of breaking down.

"I'm not getting married...if you would have listened to the entire thing—"

"—But you are considering it!! You are actually considering it!"

"Well—why the hell do you even care? Why would it even upset you?"

"What do you pretend? For me to jump in joy? Why didn't you bring him over? That way we could all have had a wonderful time together at your father's birthday!" Something inside of Victoire's chest clicked.

"Maybe I should have! Because that's exactly what you did with me and Chloe!" she yelled. "You rubbed her all over my face!"

"No I didn't! I didn't think you cared!"

"Well, I did care!"

"Oh, really? Well, you did a brilliant performance at hiding it..." he said, clenching his teeth.

"What are you—Why are you being such an arse?" she said, almost hissing the words. He walked up to her again, this time his closeness took her by surprise. She startled, and couldn't help taking one step back.

"Only because you're making me insanely mad," he panted.

"How is this _my_ fault? I still don't get how this is _my_ fault! You didn't have the guts to break up with your girlfriend and now—"

"—What?" He stopped cold.

"You didn't break up with her. You left me waiting at my parents' house. I was the world's biggest idiot for even staying there in the first place!"

"—You must be joking…I broke up with her the minute I saw her!"

Victoire muted for a few seconds.

"What? She said—"

"—_She said_? You talked to her?"

"She went to Shell Cottage! She told me…she said that—"

"—What—why didn't Fleur tell me that she was there before me?" he asked, now astonished.

"I made her swear she wouldn't tell anyone. It was humiliating enough to have your girlfriend making me hit ground—"

"—And you believed her?" he gave out, shaking his head, just as mad as he was before.

"Well you didn't show up!"

"I did show up! It took her hours lo leave my flat and then I didn't run after you because I needed time to think, but I showed up! And you weren't there! Damn it Victoire! Is it always going to be like this? Are you ever going to just sit down and _think_ for a moment? Before you jump into ridiculous..._stupid_ conclusions?"

"The only problem I see here…is that _you_ think too much!" she screamed.

"Do I?"

"Yes!"

"You don't say? Well at least I take my time, don't I? But _you_ chose to believe Chloe. You are so much smarter than that, and yet you deliberately chose to believe her because you were looking for an excuse! And you found the perfect excuse to go away."

"Oh, shut up. You don't know anything!"

"I do! I do know! You don't think at all, do you? You just play along as it goes!"

"Argh! I can't believe this! I can't believe you! I can't believe my family! How come nobody told me that you weren't with her anymore!"

"They didn't know until it was too obvious. They didn't have to know! I don't run around telling people who I am with! The only person who I wanted to tell was you!"

Victoire laughed out loud. "Well, the message didn't get through very well, did it?" she reproached.

"I'm sorry for not publishing it in the prophet. I didn't think my life was that important to people."

"Do not be sarcastic with me," she ordered, taking a step up to him, raising her chin, trying to put her face in his same level.

"Don't tell me what to do," he said, taking a challenging step forward himself.

"I can't believe you never told me..."

"Well, I can't believe you never cared enough to find out!"

"I did care! But I found out _months_ after it. She lied to me!"

"And what did you expect, Victoire? She was mad, she was hurt, of course she lied to you." He paused. "She even tried to get back together after we broke up. And at least she tried…that's more than what _you_ can say!"

Something inside of Victoire burned, as if her body was preparing for a major natural disaster. She opened her mouth. He _did not just say that_. "Are you are comparing her with me?" she asked, panting fast. Her mind had no intentions on covering up her anger anymore.

"Yes," he said plainly.

"How—how can you—"

"—You ran away…"

"How can you even—"

"—How can _you _think of marrying that guy?"

"It's not my fault that he's proposing!"

"But how can you even consider it?" he said, gesturing strongly with his two hands. "What the bloody hell is going on through that head of yours?"

"Well what do you expect me to do, Teddy? Wait for you all my life?"

Teddy laughed, shaking his head.

"Do you want to know what I think?" he asked, walking closer to her again, lowering his voice. Victoire's stomach bent. She stood firmly, she wasn't taking another step back. "You're considering it to get away from us...to run away...do you know how stupid, how pointless that is?"

This time it was Victoire the one to chuckle sarcastically. "Don't give yourself that much credit."

"Living in another country isn't enough for you anymore to make you _think_ you'll ever put closure to this." He swallowed hard, next to her cheek, her skin shivered. "You know something? You're going to have to try a little bit harder than that..." he whispered to her face. Victoire swallowed, trying to control the speed of her breathing, she shook her head.

"Go to hell..."

He laughed, very secure of himself. She had never seen that side of Ted Lupin. "Go on..." he encouraged. "Keep running away."

"I don't run away..."

"You do. You run off every time it gets too complicated."

"That's not true..." she said faintly.

"—Prove it then…" His body moved another inch forward.

Short silence.

"Are you challenging me?" she whispered to the closeness of his face. He didn't answer, but he scanned her face; her eyes, her nose, her lips. He was too close, he had to step back, gain some distance, but he wouldn't do it, and neither would she. "What are you challenging me to do?" she finally asked, with a firm, but soft voice. She was just realizing how close she was to the wall, and how badly he was cornering her.

"Nothing…" he smirked. "At least nothing you can accomplish…"

She raised her eyebrow. "You. You are crossing the line…"

"What line?" He asked, his grave voice softer than ever. "There is no fucking line between us."

By now Victoire wasn't capable of lowering her eyes, her sight had locket under his stern and powerful gaze. Her fingers held on to his shirt tightly, instinctively, and that encouraged him to move again, this time pressing her against the wall. She closed her eyes, and his arms trapped her even more when he set his palms against the wall, each of his hands close to the sides of her face.

Victoire's breathing was getting out of control, matching his rhythm perfectly. He leaned down, and his lips hesitated between her skin and the thin air. The back of his right hand parted from the wall and his fingers meddled gently with the edge of her skin.

"What do you want me to say?" he whispered to her mouth. "That he's not good enough for you? That he's not capable of making you feel the way I do? Do you want me to tell you that you'd be making the stupidest mistake of your life?" He stopped. She didn't move, he swallowed hard. "Well…I won't say any of that."

Holding on to the very last fibber of his shirt, she pulled him firmly towards her. His hands, spread all over her face and hair, burned her. Waiting for the threads to break was the hardest thing, because one of them had to make the definite move, one of them had to give in first.

This time the remaining distance shortened itself, with a fast move the two of them broke the tension. Their lips were meeting; their breathing was increasing, frenetically; their bodies were pressed against one another. Her legs, her thighs, her arms lost strength.

She pushed him away, but he held on to her waist tightly, demanding her to keep going. Victoire stopped measuring the magnitude of her moves. She held on to his chest, and allowed her kisses to consume them both. Her hands went up his chest, up his shoulders, but that just wasn't enough. Her fingers ran down again, to the bottom edge of his shirt, and during a very unreadable second she used the strength of both of her hands to pull his shirt off him, so her hands could run free over his bare chest. She then went to break the boundaries of his belt.

He didn't waste as much time as Victoire, for her clothes fell to the floor faster than his.

--

_A/N: If you feel like reading more about Ron's proposal to Hermione, you can turn to my fic: "As simple as That"_

--

_Artist: Muse_

_Lyrics:_

_I think I'm drowning_

_asphyxiated_

_I wanna break this spell_

_that you've created_

_You're something beautiful_

_a contradiction_

_I wanna play the game_

_I want the friction_

_you will be the death of me_

_you will be the death of me_

_bury it_

_I won't let you bury it_

_I won't let you smother it_

_I won't let you murder it_

_our time is running out_

_our time is running out_

_you can't push it underground_

_you can't stop it screaming out_

_I wanted freedom_

_bound and restricted_

_I tried to give you up_

_but I'm addicted_

_now that you know I'm trapped sense of elation_

_you'd never dream of_

_breaking this fixation_

_you will squeeze the life out of me_

_bury it_

_I won't let you bury it_

_I won't let you smother it_

_I won't let you murder it_

_our time is running out_

_our time is running out_

_you can't push it underground_

_you can't stop it screaming out_

_how did it come to this?_

_You will suck the life out of me_

_bury it_

_I won't let you bury it_

_I won't let you smother it_

_I won't let you murder it_

_our time is running out_

_our time is running out_

_you can't push it underground_

_you can't stop it screaming out_

_How did it come to this?_


	32. Breakfast After Ten

_A/N: One more chapter and the finale, and then the epilogue...and then the epilogue to the epilogue? I'm joking. I have to__put myself together and acknowledge, to my own misfortune, that this story is ending..._

**Breakfast After Ten**

_November 21, 2020_

_--_

It was day already. He could tell with his eyes closed. Little, gentle rays of light burned the skin of his back. He buried his face deeper in the warm pillow, and smelled again the fresh scent of her hair, grabbled on his mattress, sheets and pillow cases, like it had been once, lasting for months, before wearing out completely.

The breeze that cuddled its way through the crack of his window relieved the burning sensation from his skin. His muscles had sunk in the mattress, heavily. His breathing was long, paused. His mind was just beginning to swim again in the pool of flashbacks from the previous night when he was brought back to reality by fingertips that slid gracefully across his arm.

He moaned lightly, but dared not to open his eyes. He heard her silent chuckle, before her lips approached the skin of his back, tracing a path that began on his bare waist and ended on his shoulder. His skin shivered at her touch.

"Stop...please...I beg you. I need to sleep," he murmured to the pillow. The humid set of lips stopped building the path, and settled near his ear.

"Come on...wake up," Victoire said. He could feel the smile of her voice.

"No...I can't, not again. I seriously can't keep up with you," he said. Victoire laughed softly.

"That is so untrue..." she whispered. He turned his head to one side and opened only one eye, to catch the smirk on her mouth. "But that's not what I'm waking you up for."

"Then?"

"I'm hungry," she declared. He couldn't avoid laughing.

"Go back to sleep…" he pleaded, closing his eye.

"No! I can't believe you're not hungry as well..."

"I need to sleep."

"I need food."

"Food's overrated," he said, turning his head to the other side of the bed.

"No it isn't. Teddy…" she insisted to his ear.

"Skip breakfast, you'll survive," he teased.

"We already skipped breakfast. It's almost one o'clock."Teddy opened his eyes abruptly and turned his head to her, to catch her bare blue eyes staring at him.

"What? Are you serious?"

She nodded.

"Why are you so surprised? When we fell asleep the sun was rising...you don't remember?" she questioned with a melodic voice.

Teddy raised his eyebrow and did the biggest effort of his life when he moved his heavy arms, waking up his dead muscles. He supported his weight on his left elbow, and his right hand wondered to the face of the woman whose head was resting on the spare pillow. He used the back of his thumb to caress her smiling lips gently. "I remember everything about last night…" He said softly, leaning his head down to hers "...except falling sleep. As a matter of fact I don't remember any sleeping...at all."

"That's because you didn't fall sleep, you passed out," she teased.

"Very funny...but passing out was probably the only way that we would get some rest," he retorted, rubbing his lips across her jaw line.

"So...you really remember everything?" she asked softly.

"Every little thing..." he kissed the corner where her ear and her neck met, making a spot for his lips. Her shoulder shrugged instinctively. "Every single time..." his mouth went down, at a very slow pace. "I hate to brag but…last night was…" he breathed her scent in, leaving the sentence unfinished, although he thought that his point was more than clear.

"Brag all you want. It was amazing."

Teddy smiled "We made us proud. Did we brake a record?" he asked in his best serious tone. Victoire laughed out loud, the sound still managed to get under his skin.

"I don't know..." she answered. "Remember that summer? Before my last year? When my parents where in Egypt with my brothers?"

"Yes..." he whispered, kissing her collarbone lightly.

"And I practically moved in here?"

"Yes..."

"Then…you remember _one_ particular night...don't you?"

He laughed softly and raised his head."Yes. And that time you were the one who passed out."

Victoire rolled her eyes. "That's not fair. I was still very inexperienced!"

Teddy's smile was wide. She looked away, as her fingers ran up and down his arms.

"What?" he asked after a short silence.

"Nothing….I'm thinking that...it was always amazing," she stated. Teddy smiled again. His right palm travelled gently towards her stomach, and settled on top of the translucent white sheet that was covering her thorax, but was doing a very poor job at hiding her legs.

"It always was," he agreed.

"Especially the times when you climbed your way into my room..." she teased, messing his hair with her fingers.

"You had to bring that up..."

"It was sweet!" she said, laughing softly.

"It was desperate. AND it was always _your_ crazy idea..."

"You never complained much once you were in there."

Teddy laughed. "Fine, I'll take that. Plus we didn't have many places anyway, until I moved in here, that is."

"We didn't...it was always...my room during our first summer together...and our first Christmas..." she counted with her fingers."...and while I was at Hogwarts there was—oh god, the Shrieking Shack..." she said, covering her eyes, her cheeks suddenly turning red.

"You wanna talk desperate?" he chuckled, while his hand still rubbed her stomach gently.

"Shut up! The shrieking shack was your idea!" She slapped his shoulder, playfully.

"My _brightest_ idea ever. And then...I moved in here..."

"Thank god for that," she sighed. Teddy laughed, and moved towards her, to kiss her lips softly, then intently, then unconsciously. His hands travelled over the sheet, up her elbow, down her waist, to her hip. It wasn't long before his legs had found the way to intertwine with hers, in spite of the sheet that was tangled between them. He pressed her firmly against him, she breathed deeply, burring her fingers in the skin of his arms.

"What are you doing?" she whispered to his lips, laughing softly.

"You woke me up..." he retorted, making his way with his lips down her neck.

"Teddy I really am hungry," she complained, and pushed him softy away from her. "And since you're not cooperating, I'm getting something to eat by myself." She attempted to stand up from the bed, but Teddy's arms were faster, he pulled her down, and used one of his legs to trap her beside him.

"You're staying here," he demanded.

"Teddy! Come on! I haven't eaten since—" she stopped cold. Teddy spread small kisses through her neck, until she paralyzed herself, and stopped breathing.

"Oh my—my dad!" she shrieked. He frowned, the reminder of Victoire's father was very inappropriate.

"What?"

"My dad...he—he knows I'm here."

"_What_?" Teddy released her, she raised her thorax up, sitting on the bed. "Bill knows you're here?"

"Yes..." she mumbled, shutting her eyes close. "I asked him if your chimneys were still connected and then I left in a hurry, and...never came back from your flat."

"Brilliant, Victoire..."

"I was upset. I was mad! I wasn't really thinking...Besides, I wanted to kill you not..._sleep_ with you. How was I supposed to know that we would end up like this?"

"Admit it, you came here to get into my trousers..." he suddenly mocked. Victoire's jaw dropped, she hit his chest.

"I didn't!"

"So...you were planning on killing me?" he raised his eyebrow "Any ideas of how you were going to do it?"

"Tons, but none of them involved me staying here for more than thirty minutes. It was going to be quick and painful," she said crossly.

Teddy chuckled. "I'll tell you something...I liked the method you chose to stick to in the end. One more hour of that and I would have died...dehydrated or something...but...it was neither quick nor painful..."

Victoire laughed, lowering her head to hide her flushed cheeks. "Shut up."

"So...who else knows?" He asked patiently, regretting the answer in advancement.

"Oh..." she raised her worried eyes up to his. Her face went from endearingly pink to burning red. He sighed.

"Victoire..."

"My grandfather..." she said faintly, as if testing his reaction. Teddy's eyes popped out.

"Great! Did you remember to tell George and Ron as well? I also hope you wrote to Charlie and your brother and every other male of this family!"

Victoire bit her lip. "You're leaving Uncle Harry out."

"No, I'm not. Who do think is going to stand up for me when the herd of angry men attacks me?"

"What am I going to tell my dad?" She suddenly frowned. "That I never came back home because I...couldn't get out of your bed?"

"Here's the alibi: You killed me and ran off to Scotland to hide the body."

She punched him. "That's probably what I should have done."

"Vic...breaking news: Bill's not stupid."

Victoire sighed, and shrugged, her long hair covered her chest gracefully. "No, but...one thing is knowing, and another is..."

"Rubbing it all over his face?"

"Yes. Oh, god! My entire family must have noticed when I left!" she threw herself on the mattress and buried her face in the pillow. Teddy shook his head.

"There goes my privacy...and all the respect Bill had me."

A short silence, Teddy was able to hear his own stomach growling. Victoire sat up again on the mattress, beside him.

"Hey...it's not really the first time, anyway?" She suddenly realized.

"What do you mean?"

"Remember how I used to sleep here during weekends but sneaked into my room before dawn so nobody noticed I was missing?"

"Yes..." he shrugged.

"Come on Teddy! Don't you remember? That one time when I overslept and my dad caught me sneaking into the house?"

"Oh..." he frowned. "Oh—I had completely forgotten about that. Why did you have to remind me? I was happy thinking we had outsmarted Bill all those years!"

She sighed. "That was the most humiliating thing...ever. I walked inside the house with my shoes in my hand, and my dad was already waiting for me on the couch of the living room. His face was...argh..."

"I couldn't look at him in the eyes for weeks," he remembered, recalling how he avoided going to her house for almost a month. "I'm lucky Bill's a sensible man. I have to say, if Ron were your father..."

Victoire laughed "Uncle Ron would have killed you, literally."

"Yes..."

"Poor Rose..." she declared. Teddy laughed and rubbed the back of his hand against her soft cheek. She closed her eyes to the sense of his touch, and he followed the impulse of placing his hands on the back of her neck, to push back all the bronze strings of hair that were covering her chest. Once that was accomplished he held her face tightly and leaned down to her lips.

"Here's the solution: We don't leave this bed... and we won't have to explain anything to the anybody," he offered, kissing the corner of her mouth. She chuckled.

"That's promising," she whispered.

"Isn't it?" he kissed her, urgently, and she let her body fall on the bed, him on top.

"But I can't live off sex and sleep, Teddy..." she said, once he gave her a chance to breathe.

"Are you sure? I don't think anybody has ever tried..."

"Maybe..." she whispered temptingly. "But—"

"—I know...you're hungry," he said, rolling to one side.

"And so are you. Can we have breakfast now?"

"Breakfast? You mean lunch."

"I'm in the mood for breakfast, so it'll be brunch, I guess," she said rising up her body. Teddy grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down to the bed again.

"Can't we skip that too?"

"If I don't eat, I'll die!" she laughed.

Teddy took a few seconds to say his next words. "I really don't want you to leave this bed..." he whispered, and breathed deeply, as he kissed her shoulder. He could feel Victoire's change of mood through her silence.

"I'll have to leave it eventually..." she said, smiling, but her words made his own smile vanish.

"Right..." He released her, and she slowly stood up, not as secure as she had seemed before. He leaned toward his nightstand, pulled a long shirt out of it, and handed it to her. She threw it on and stared at him from her standing spot, the long shirt covering her body down to her thighs. He tried to remember how many times she had worn that grey shirt before, he couldn't count them. That shirt, like the mattress, the sheets and the pillow covers, had smelled of her for months after she left to France.

He tried to smile at the sight of her, standing there, in the middle of his room, looking at him, pressing her lips together, her long hair messed, but still smooth and radiant; but he couldn't bend his lips an inch.

She lowered her sight, and walked out of the room. He confirmed his fears: Victoire leaving the bed was making him hit the ground. He stood up and searched for a pair of clean underwear. He then had to stop to think of the place where he dropped his jeans. His mind recalled that they were at the entrance of the bedroom, he picked them up from the floor and wore them before walking out.

He made no noise when entering the small kitchen. She was there, walking her way around it. She knew where the coffee machine was, the coffee can, the spoons, the pan. He leaned against the door frame.

"Last night..." he said softly, staring at Victoire as she opened the coffee can.

"What about last night?" she smirked. Teddy's lip curved at the sight of her smile.

"You said something..." he pointed out. Victoire looked up, her hands still on the coffee can. She waited. Teddy's sight suddenly became solemn. "You said you loved me," he explained, somewhat dryly. Victoire looked down and after seconds of stillness she moved to pour the coffee into the muggle coffee maker Arthur had given Teddy one Christmas. Her fingers grabbed the can tightly. Her face went stern.

"You didn't say anything. I thought you didn't hear me."

"I heard you..."

"...and you didn't say anything..."

Teddy looked down, his hands tucked inside his pockets.

"I just wondered..." He began, "Do you, really?" He looked up again.

Victoire sighed, smiling sadly. She took a moment.

"Teddy, of course I do..." she said, and suddenly released the can she had been holding, shutting her eyes tightly. "God...I—I should go..."

"What?"

"I have to go..." she said again, rearranging her hair, before placing her hands on her forehead. Teddy remained calmed, before asking the inevitable question, a question that had been carefully arranged to study her answer to it.

"What are you going to do about him?" he asked, making it seem like the other guy was the only one who could lose her. She breathed deeply, and looked at him.

"I need to talk to him," she answered.

"No. We're not doing this again. You're not leaving until you tell me what you're doing about him."

"Teddy...I have to talk to him," she hesitated.

"No! We're not going through the same mistake again. You can't leave now."

"What? Teddy try to understand, he—"

"—The only thing I understand is that it'll be like it was with Chloe, all over again. I'm not letting you leave."

"Teddy! I have to, I—"

"—You have to what? You have to _think_ about it?" he interrogated, sarcasm flooding the kitchen.

"What's _that_ tone supposed to mean?"

"Just answer the question."

"So what if I have to think? Things are not that simple anymore, and We were being stupid and impulsive."

Teddy walked up to her. "No, Victoire. _You_ were being stupid and impulsive." Victoire shook her head, walking out of the kitchen and into the living room. He followed, and watched as she searched for her jeans, which she soon found on the floor. She slid them on fast and searched for the rest of her clothes. "Stop," he whispered. "You've got to stop being impulsive and start doing what you really want to do..."

"I just did what I wanted to do! And look how we ended up!" she snapped, running to the bedroom, she pull Teddy's shirt off her and wore her own top.

"How _did_ we end up? I don't see anything different! We ended up as we always do!"

"No we didn't!" Victoire took her hands to her face. "This flat...we do stupid things when we are in here. First we kiss, now we sleep together, and to top it all we keep playing around like we are a couple, like nothing else is going outside these walls!"

"Who the hell is playing?" he yelled back.

"We act like we don't care about other people's feelings. People get hurt every time you and I get together!"

"Well then, analyse it Victoire: why keep bringing third ones into this? Why? Just..." he breathed in, running his fingers through his hair. "Just...Victoire...answer me...what do _you_ want?"

Victoire shook her head. "Oh, you think it's so easy don't you!? To just leave everything behind, trade one life for another one..."

He fell silent, but soon broke it with hard words.

"Well, you did it once..." he sentenced.

Victoire opened her mouth in astonishment. "I can't believe you are throwing this at me. YOU broke up with ME!" she yelled.

"Only because that's what you needed to get going! I only helped you do what you couldn't do by yourself!"

"What? Oh—thanks a _lot_ Teddy. I will _always_be thankful for throwing me to one side! I will _always_ be thankful for that!"

"I didn't throw you to one side. I did what I had to do. You wanted something different. You wanted to go to France. You wanted to get out of here!"

"You can't talk like that! You _obviously_didn't know what I wanted back then and you know nothing about me right now—"

"—I know more about you than what you'd want me to," he said roughly, shaking his head. "You're the same seventeen year old girl who was too scared of moving on without her boyfriend. You're the same girl who was afraid of marriage, and kids..."

"I am not that girl!" she shrieked, suddenly enraged. "I'm not the same person!" she retorted, throwing his shirt to the floor. She scrammed out of the bedroom and into the living room.

"Yes you are! You're still scared, like back then. I had to push you to do what you wanted to."

Victoire shook her head, slowly, her eyes pierced his.

"If it weren't for your _brilliant_ _scheme_...we'd still be together!"

"Oh come on, Victoire! You can't keep blaming it all on me! I admitted I screwed up, okay? I admitted I shouldn't have let you go like that. I even went back for you."

"FIVE Months later. Too little...too late, Teddy."

"Still, I went after you...and then at Christmas, and then again! I blew off Chloe because I was still in love with you."

"_And_you forgot to tell me about it! It wasn't enough..."

"What the hell do you want me to do? Force you? Make you do something you didn't want to do?"

"I think we've established that you have _no_ idea of what it is that I want!"

"Maybe I don't! But the saddest thing is…that neither do you!"

"What?"

"What the hell happened to you? What are you so scared of? Making the wrong decision? Since when are you so prudent? You used to be so much braver than this."

"Are you calling me a coward?"

"Yes! When did you become so insecure?"

"When did _you_ become such an arse? I would have stayed here if it weren't for you. You have no right to reproach me anything. We are in this mess _because_ of you!"

He took his hands to his face, and pressed them hard against his eyes. "How much longer are you going to punish me with that?" he yelled.

"It's the truth!"

"No, Victoire, the truth is that you're blaming _me_ because you're too scared to make a decision for yourself."

"It's so easy for you, isn't it? You wouldn't have to give anything up..."

"Easy? I had to give you up once..."

"And you just...moved on, I don't even know how you did it. I came back and you still had a successful job and your friends and you were surrounded with family _and_ had a girlfriend!"

"Moved on?" he laughed. "Are you mad? I can't turn around without seeing something that reminds me of you. You are a part of my life. I'm never going to get you out of it completely. Why is that so difficult for you to understand? I'm stuck here, and _everything_ reminds me of you. _Everytime_. You are the one who can get out of here every time you want…"

She looked down, her breathing fast paced and uneven.

"Well I can't just turn the page over, and forget about everything..." she whispered.

"Six months ago _you_ told me that you wanted to return. But y_ou_ are too scared to take a stand on it."

"Stop, Teddy."

"You are frightened," he continued. "Does _he_ know? Does he know what he's getting into? Does he know you can't really commit?"

"I can commit!" she yelled again, her face red, her eyes enraged.

"No, you can't."

"I can! Of course I can. Do you want to _see_ me committing?" she threatened. He walked up to her, and stood as close as possible.

"Why are you here? Why did you come here at the exact moment he asked you to marry him? And he probably doesn't even suspect that you're not sure of what you're doing."

"He knows these things take time—"

"—Really? Does he? Does he know then, that you're impulsive? Does he know that? Does he know that when you want something badly you won't think it through until you stand there facing the consequences?"

"Stop it. Stop treating me like that! I want to get marry! I want kids! I want all those things!"

"With him?" he asked, grabbing her chin tightly, to face her better. "You keep...storming off, and running off, for what? Do you want me to run after you? Is that what you want? I can't keep up with that! Stay put for once in your life. Stop running off every time things get complicated. Stop storming off..."

She shook her head, to release her face from his grip. "Just, shut up..."

"You're too scared! You're too scared of making this big decision and you want somebody else making it for you!"

"Shut up, Teddy!"

"You didn't want to go off to France because you were scared to death and now you don't want to come back because you are terrified of leaving everything behind. And it wouldn't really matter if you weren't because…in the end you don't know what you really want. You don't know and you wait for something to happen…some mystical sign to tell you what you have to do, and that's not going to happen, Victoire. _Nobody_is making this decision for you."

"You are the biggest—"

"—I'm not going to tell you what to do, Victoire Weasley. I did so once, and it seems like I'm still paying for that. What do you want from me? Do you want me to run after you when you cross that door? Because I'm not going to! Do you want me to propose to you? Tell you I love you? _Beg_ you again to stay? Convince you? Because I'm not doing that either! Go on! Make your own choise!"

"Teddy...stop. Please...stop."

He shook his head, bit his lips. Instead of blood, it was despair running down his veins. He breathed in, walked past her and opened the front door abruptly.

"Just Go...Say yes to him. Get married. And don't come back here when you realize what a stupid mistake you've made, or when you realize you hate living in France."

"Are you giving me an ultimatum? You can't do that..." she dared him.

"No. I'm asking you to leave."

She chuckled, sarcastically, and shook her head, like waiting for him to react.

But he didn't.

"You can't have it all," he said. "You can't have the French husband and the idiot who is there every time you have commitment issues."

Victoire raised her blue eyes at him, breathed in. He had to fight the impulse of looking away.

"You are jerk," she whispered, and walked out with a fast move. Teddy banged the door closed. The frame and the wall trembled at his anger. He supported his back against the door, breathed in, recalling what he had just said and done.

"Shit..." he murmured, taking his hand to cover his eyes.

--

Artist: Blue October

Lyrics:

_White kitchen walls with a thousand windows  
Turn on Winston in the den  
And I'm still asleep but I can hear the piano  
When you make breakfast after 10  
And I smell the coffee on your fingers  
I still smell the perfume in the bed  
The crushed linen roses on everything  
And you're still inside my head_

_You gotta make her know how it feels to miss you  
Let her know you're swapping sides  
You're not the one with all the problems  
You're the one with all the pride_

_So just pick your head up boy, and  
Walk away  
Walk the coolest walk that you know  
Cause in a month or two she'll call you  
You gotta hang up the phone_

_I hope she knows I've got this memory  
That won't ever seem to break or bend  
A thick lock & sheet rock is on my windows in the kitchen  
I don't think I'll ever take em' down again_

_And I've learned a lot from all these break ups and make ups  
And fuck ups and fake ups  
Things that I wish you could comprehend yeah, comprehend  
But for now I'll lace up  
these wingtip shoes, boys  
And I'll go have breakfast with my good friends_

_You got to make her know how it feels to miss you  
You got to let her know you're swapping sides  
You're not the one with all the problems  
You're the one with all the pride_

_You got to make her know how it feels to miss you  
Let her know you're swapping spit  
You're not the one with all the problems  
She's the one that's full of shit_

_So just pick your head up, boys and  
Walk away  
Walk the coolest walk that you know  
In a month or two she'll call you  
You got to  
Hang up the phone..._


	33. Invincible

_A/N: Thirty three chapters!!! that's a lot...if you've come this far with me then I can't thank you enough for reading but I will thank you more if you have reviewed or if you leave a review now! _

**Invincible**

_November 2__1, 2020_

_--_

London rain drops had made the streets almost impossible to walk through. It had been raining all afternoon, all evening, and all night. The puddles that covered the wet streets seemed to rejoice on the amount of shoes they were ruining.

For those who could apparate, the journey through town was always safer, and considerably dryer. But once Victoire placed foot on the same doorstep she had stormed out of that same day, she took a moment to breathe deeply under the thick drops that hit her skin like ice stones. She considered the odds her visit had of being effective. But since she had nothing remotely close to an answer, she walked up to the door and knocked firmly, feeling that her strong knocks were getting lost in the loud, cold shower.

No answer. She swallowed hard. She had considered the possibility of finding an empty flat, but chose to ignore the chances.

She breathed out and knocked the door once again, this time her frozen knuckles hit the wood with more strength. The cold drops ran down her eyebrows, freezing the tip of her nose. She felt her lips trembling, faster by the second.

No response. She pressed her lips together, her heart pounding fast against her chest. She pushed her wet locks away from her face, and fixed them behind her ears. She breathed fast, and realized she had been standing under the rain for long now. There wasn't an inch of her body that wasn't soaked, or freezing for that matter. She walked back a few steps, and breathed deeply.

For the last time she knocked the door, so hard her cold hand hurt immediately. Again, she waited. And just when her heart threatened with blowing up from the despair, the door opened. Victoire felt how quickly her pulse left her body. Teddy widened his eyes at the sight of her, but after that second his face remained completely expressionless. She took a deep breath.

He took a step to the side, in silence, hiding half of his body behind the door, and gestured with his head so she could walk in. Victoire shook her head and remained still.

"You're staying out there? You're soaking wet. It's cold," he said softly.

"It's easier this way," she retorted, her voice trembling.

"You'll get sick, you can't stay—"

"—You've done enough talking for today, it's kind of my turn now."

Teddy straightened his back, raised his eyebrow, then nodded.

"Fine, then," he said, and stood still by the half opened door.

Victoire cleared her throat, and rubbed her shoulders with her hands. The water was beginning to filtrate through her skin.

"There are so many things...you don't know about me—"

"—Victoire—"

"—No. You have to let me talk. From now on you won't say anything," she insisted.

Teddy lifted his eyebrows, but shrugged, like a little boy agreeing to follow orders against his will.

"I was so mad at you today. When I walked out of here I was so…angry! You didn't have the right to say all those things...because you don't know what it's been like. I mean, you don't know anything anymore...you used to know but—many things that have happened these last years. I've done a lot of things...and some of them were silly or stupid even, but others—I'm really proud of a lot of things I've done." She looked down, at her drenched shoes. "And you don't know most of those things because you weren't there. You don't know how hard it was, or how easy it was, or how frustrating...you don't know anything!"

"—I..." He tried to interrupt, but Victoire lifted her eyebrow sharply. "Sorry..." he whispered before silencing again.

"And I can't believe you don't know those things because, you used to know _everything_ about me. Before school I had no friends, I just had my family...but I had you. When I got to go to Hogwarts I only had Evelyn..._and_ I had you. And even when you and I were in different years and you had all those friends, and...the eventual over controlling girlfriends," Teddy´s chuckle interrupted her. "...you were the only one who _always_ knew everything, even when I didn't tell you, even when I hid it from you. It was annoying...and sometimes it drove me crazy but..." she breathed deeply. "...truth is you read me like an open book...you still do. And a little part of me hates it because it feels that you have more control than you should, but then...there's that other part that...doesn't conceive life without you knowing all about it."

She raised her eyes to wonder into Teddy's deep brown sight. "I'm not making any sense, am I?" she asked weakly, smiling sadly. Teddy shook his head politely. Victoire shut her eyes close for a moment. "Fine...I probably started at the end."

Victoire pressed her cold wet lips together repeatedly. She couldn't feel them. She couldn't feel the skin of her mouth, or her cheeks. She couldn't feel her teeth when she tightened her jaw. "I told him," she spoke out, her voice broke but it was still louder than the rain. Teddy raised his chin a few inches.

"I told Devan that I—actually, I told him everything. I gave him the reasons it wasn't smart of him to marry me...and I also gave him the reasons I couldn't marry him."

"You told him..." he murmured.

"—Yes. I told him everything."

"_Everything_? What...did he do?"

"Well, let me see. There was the yelling, the cursing…the throwing of things..."

"He threw things at you?" Teddy suddenly said, raising his voice up, his expression turning angry.

"No! Not at me...more at...his couch, his door…his window... picture frames and ashtrays flew all around his flat. I'm beginning to think I reveal the worst of a man's temper," she said, exhaustion dominating her resigned voice.

"Victoire, there's actually a reason for that—" he said with a natural, soft grin.

"—wait, no! You're still not allowed to talk!" she demanded, and paid no attention to Teddy's impatient sigh. "You accused me of a lot of things today. You accused me of being a coward, of not knowing what I wanted, of not making up my mind, of being stupid and impulsive, of being scared all the time! You had no right to say any of those things. You don't know what it was like. And I was so mad at you today... because— you've always known what you wanted," she sentenced. Teddy frowned in concern. "I mean, you knew you wanted to be a journalist since you were like thirteen…or something. Me…" she chuck led, sadly. "I'm a mess!" she shrugged. "I didn't know what I wanted to work against dark arts until I was in France! And back at Hogwarts…I didn't know I fancied you until, I mean—for heaven's sake, until my boyfriend at the time practically made the assumption. _He _figured it out before me. That's how stupid I am."

"You're not—"

"—will you stop talking already?"

"Sorry..."

"But that's me. I am stupid and impulsive. I am. And I come to things on my own time. And yes, sometimes I am waiting for a mystic sign that'll help me figure important things out, because that's just how stupid I am! And to top it all..." she stopped to breathe, because the cold drops that got through her throat were making it harder for her to speak.

"To top it all...I'm scared. There. I said it. It is scary, so scary to have someone influence your life like that. I mean, it's been two years and we still…we keep doing all these things over and over. We see each other, we fight and...I end up going away. And that's only because I thought I could fight this. I thought we were over and...Everybody kept telling me that it was going to pass, and it turns out that…it didn't go away. That's what's terrifying! When I'm away everything in my life seems fine, and then you go to France, or I come back here and…everything turns upside down again! And it takes me months to fix it back and… if that's not bloody scary then I don't know what is…" She exhaled, looking at his concentrated, frozen face. "And…once I'm fine again and everything goes back to normal, I realize...that I just want to come back here or I want you to appear there. It's…insane! It drives me mad how much influence you have on me!" she yelled, her chest jumping up and down.

Victoire breathed deeply again, to stop her vibrating pulse from taking the best of her. Teddy's face was a pool of expressions, but she couldn't tell them apart. He opened his mouth but his gesture made no noise. She took the lead again.

"If what you need is an answer, then…_yes_. I want to be home again, I want my crazy and loud family back, I want to spend Sundays at The Burrow, I want to see my parents more than twice a year. I want to be here again, I always did. Paris was... it was my getaway. And I tried to build a life there but that's not where my mind is, ever. So it keeps falling apart, and it's my entire fault, because that's not the place I want to be. But...the thing is that I could survive, I could bare one more year, two more years in France without my family, if it weren't because what I want the most is...you..._if_ you'll take me back, that is."

Teddy's astonished face remained still. His chest moved deeply to the rhythm of his breathing. He took a small step forward, but did nothing more.

"And don't think that I can't live without you, because I can," she suddenly warned. "I can live without you. I've done it. It is possible. I just…I just don't want to, I really don't want to, ever again. Once was enough."

"Vict—"

"—And if you don't want me back anymore...then just think that you might end up with some...girl, who may know all she wants all the time, and who doesn't give you a hard time, and who...will turn out to be absolutely boring."

"What—"

"—I'm just saying this because I know how ridiculously proud you can be sometimes..."

"Ridiculously proud?" he murmured.

"Yes, and stubborn too. And arrogant! I mean, you think you're always right, and you're _not_ always right...although today you were...quite accurate."

"You couldn't stop right at the: _what I want the most is you_ part, could you? You had to find a way of insulting me in the end," he asked, grinning widely.

"Well...it's all true..."

The rain pounded her head, skin and shoes, matching the accelerated rhythm of her heartbeat. Her pulse was the only thing she felt inside her body. The stress and the cold water froze everything else.

"Are you going to come in eventually? Do I have to pull you inside?" he asked. Hot air left her lungs with her relieved chuckle.

"I think my feet froze to the ground," she explained weakly.

Teddy walked forward, out of his flat. A bag fell off his shoulder, down to the wet floor. Victoire hadn't even noticed that he was carrying the backpack. But her sight was driven away when his warm hands grabbed her face firmly, raising her eyes up to his. His mouth twisted softly into a simple, yet moved smile. His thumbs caressed the pale skin of her cheeks, returning a little warmth to them. She closed her eyes and tasted the way Teddy leaned down slowly and pressed his hot, firm lips against hers.

She felt her entire self being embraced by him, proudly and even possessively. The shower that was soaking them both wasn't enough to steal the life that was being renewed inside her body. She let him press her hardly against him, because she didn't have the strength or the will to move an inch.

"I have a rule," he suddenly whispered to her lips.

"Oh, really?" she whispered back, arching her eyebrow.

"You can't ever, ever again torture me with the fact that I left you once," he murmured, his expression suddenly turning into a painful one. Victoire smiled in silence.

"And you can't ever throw at my face that I left you...more than once..." she said back. Teddy exhaled softly, rubbing his lips across her cheek, breathing her in. His intimate smile left a soft kiss pressed against her face.

"Are we going to follow these rules?" he asked softly. She chuckled.

"Probably not," Victoire admitted. He sighed when looking into her eyes, suddenly concerned.

"What?" she asked.

"I screwed you up...didn't I?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I screwed you up when I let you leave like that to France..." he explained, as he caressed her throat with his hand softly. She waited a few seconds to answer, so she could feel the temperature of his fingertips against her throat.

"Don't take that much credit..." she teased, holding tightly to his shirt as her lips played softly with his. "Besides...I've been screwing you up since we were five. Call it even?" she asked innocently. Teddy laughed softly.

"We might have to stay together...just for other people's sake," he suggested.

"I suppose I can do that."

Teddy smiled again, widely, but when he leaned down to touch her lips again, she saw the bag that was forgotten on the wet floor, a few feet away from her.

"What's that?" she asked, her eyes drifting towards Teddy again.

"Oh...nothing..."

"Where were you going?"

"Just...I was just going to find an old friend...explain her how stupid she was for marrying some bloke she barely knew."

Victoire smiled. "You were going after me?" she asked weakly.

"You see...I, too, was insanely mad at you today. But then I thought...that if I was going to come anywhere close to what I wanted, then I had to stop being so ridiculously proud, or stubborn, or arrogant...or...what else did you call me?" he mocked.

"No, that was it," she said simply.

"That was it..." he murmured, arching his eyebrow.

"I won't take it back. It's all true, you know..."

"I wasn't expecting you to."

"You could've told me, though. You would have saved me that speech."

"I thought I wasn't allowed to talk," he inquired, while tightening his grip on her face. For a moment Victoire wished to freeze the sight of him. Unfortunately, her body reprehended her. Her lips began to tremble again, her fingers wouldn't move anymore, and her skin shivered to the touch of every raindrop that fell on her. "Let's go inside. You're freezing... " he said. "Are you out of your mind? Why did you have to stand out here all that time?"

"I just thought that...if you didn't want me back then, I'd feel less like an idiot if I didn't have to walk out of your apartment again."

"You're mental..." he chuckled, before he pressed his mouth against her forehead. He pulled away and wrapped her cold hand tightly with his. She instinctively followed his moves, and walked with him into his flat, to hide from the rain, and leave to him the task of bringing her body temperature up fast, even though that wouldn't prevent the cold that would take over her and condemn her to stay in bed for the next three days. But at that moment Victoire had no place in her head to think about something as insignificant as that.

--

_Artist: Muse_

Lyrics:

_Follow through  
Make your dreams come true  
Don't give up the fight  
You will be alright_

_'Cause there's no one  
Like you in the universe_

_Don't be afraid  
What your mind consumes  
You should make a stand  
Stand up for what you believe_

_And tonight we can truly say  
Together we're invincible_

_During the struggle, they will pull us down  
But please, please, let's use this chance to turn things around  
And tonight we can truly say  
Together we're invincible_

_Do it on your own  
It makes no difference to me  
What you leave behind  
What you choose to be_

_And whatever they say  
Your soul's unbreakable_

_During the struggle, they will pull us down  
But please, please, let's use this chance to turn things around  
And tonight we can truly say  
Together we're invincible, together we're invincible_

_During the struggle, they will pull us down  
But please, please, let's use this chance to turn things around  
And tonight we can truly say  
Together we're invincible, together we're invincible_


	34. Epilogue: Dreams

_A/N: *sighs* This is the end...for now. I'm still writing things about them that will probably become one-shots, and who knows, maybe I'll even return to them in a while a long fic. I can't tell you just how sad it makes me to have to end this...but enough of that, here it goes: _

**Dreams**

_August 16, 2025_

A clean, freshly cut grass made the ground into a perfectly smooth carpet. Flower petals were spread beautifully around the white chairs. Small candles floated gently lit around the air to offer some light for what was going to be an evening event.

And between the white chairs, the white rose petals, the floating candles there was...the people, the guests, the witnesses. Witches dressed in elegant, colourful gowns, and not very discreet hats, wizards wearing robes chosen just for the occasion, children running happily around the tables.

"Damn," murmured Teddy as he tried once again to count out the guests. He shook his head quickly and pressed his forehead against the glass of the window of the room he was in, two floors above the backyard of The Burrow. He swallowed hard, and fixed the necktie of his dress robes to breathe better. "Damn," he murmured again. He didn't recognize the old woman with the hot pink hat and the golden feathers rapping her neck. He didn't know who the wizard with the long moustache was. He took his hand to the back of his neck to sustain the weight of his head, he was sweating. Was it time to come down now?

He admitted then, for the first time in the last months, that the preparations had been...far too much. He finally acknowledged and silently admitted that his fiancé had been right when she pointed out, twenty or thirty times, that the magnitude of the wedding was getting out of control. "A small wedding," she had strictly requested, and by the looks of things, that didn't seem like a small event at all.

Teddy exhaled strongly and felt the need to walk out of the room and into the one where a bride was sure to be freaking out at that very moment.

"Hey, are you ready?" Harry's voice startled Teddy. He turned around and nodded quietly. Harry laughed softly as he walked inside the room and shut closed the door.

"Nervous?"

"No," he answered fast, too fast.

"Right."

Teddy turned to the window again and breathed in deeply.

"It'll be fine," Harry encouraged, placing his hand on Teddy's shoulder, which relaxed considerably. Teddy nodded.

"Yeah...sure..."

"It really will be fine..." Harry said again, this time smiling widely, almost mocking. As much as Harry tried to hide it, Ted could tell when his godfather was holding back a mocking laugh. He wasn't seeing the gravity of the situation.

"Only that...I mean—she won't come down," Teddy spitted out, pointing at the window. "When she sees this she won't come down..."

"Teddy—"

"—She won't! She asked for _one_ thing...she clearly said: no more than fifty people... and there are over a hundred out there! She won't come down...she won't."

"Wha—Ted, she's not ten, she'll come down."

"She didn't want this circus, she wanted a small wedding. I agreed, but then Fleur got involved and then our grandmothers...and...Here we are."

"I still don't see—"

"—I didn't listen to her! I just played along. She wanted," he sighed "she wanted something else. She mentioned once...when we got engaged that. She wanted a private wedding, something small, but I didn't pay attention."

"Teddy it's not that bad, there is not half the amount of people that attended my wedding. Talk about scary," he laughed, shaking his head. Teddy didn't see what was so funny.

"I should have listened to Angelina," Teddy complained, pressing his forehead against the window again. "She suggested me to steal her and get married in some exotic country. I thought she was joking."

"Well, your honeymoon's in Greece," Harry shrugged.

"But I can't run off with her now, can I?" Teddy looked at his godfather's face, filled with a sudden amount of hope. "Can I?"

"No." Harry said, quite serious. "I have to show up down there with a Ted walking next to me, or else... Besides, those women won't let you live in peace if you run away with the bride. This wedding took them months to plan," he said sternly.

Teddy twisted his mouth into a smile, a very small one. He looked down at the decorated backyard, at the candles that were showing off their subtle light, at the wizard that was going to wed them, at his grandmother Andromeda, dressed with a beautiful and delicate purple, long gown. He smiled. He looked at his grandmother Molly, who was still fixing the last row of chairs and suddenly turned to give a waiter orders. Teddy's smile grew even more at the energy she still had.

He looked at his friends, finally he saw his friends. Jack was talking to Charlie. As the best man he had arrived right on time. Claire had just arrived as well, her left arm held by the tall, robust man with a strong chin that was her husband. Her right arm held the petit hand of a little boy, who was jumping with excitement at the sight of the flying candles. Her dress, a soft pink gown, didn't hide the size of her round belly. Across the field he found Bob, walking in with a girl Teddy didn't know. He felt lighter, for a moment. Then his mind went again to the bride.

"Have you seen her?" Teddy asked Harry. He shook his head.

"No one's allowed in there. And...to be honest I didn't even try," Harry explained. Teddy chuckled again, nervously.

"I hope she's not gazing out the window," Teddy murmured as he turned around to the transparent glass.

"Come on..."Harry said, gesturing with his head. "She'll really get scared if she sees you're not there."

Teddy smiled and fixed the neck tie of his robes again, for the fifth time. He shrugged, and his eyes begged for Harry's approval. His godfather smiled, a very small smile that made Teddy look down at his clothes. He thought they were alright, his Grandmother had picked them out.

"What?" he asked. Harry shook his head but cleared his throat. "What?" he said again, widening his eyes, taking his hands to his chest, trying to find out if something was wrong with what he was wearing. He felt even more anxious.

"I was thinking—I just hope you know how proud your parents would feel right now," Harry said, before looking down. The phrase clicked inside Teddy, froze the anxiousness he had felt the past hour, and placed it on the side. "I just hope you know that..."

"I...think I know..." he whispered with a very small smile, he fought the knot that was locking his throat. He breathed in.

"It's Bill's daughter," Harry explained, half laughing, pointing out what was obvious. "You don't know how happy they'd be. Remus...Tonks, they were both very fond of Bill. This would mean...this would be a pretty big deal for them, I'm sure." Harry stopped talking, and looked briefly at the window.

"I—I sort of wander what it would be like...if they were here. I'm not complaining!" he said quickly, making sure Harry knew just how grateful Teddy was for everything he had done for him. It was much more than feeling grateful, he had his place in the Potter's family, even if he didn't carry the same last name."I mean, what everybody's done for our wedding is more than what we asked for...literally." Harry laughed softly. "But I just can't stop wondering what it would feel like if they were here..."

"I know," Harry said, his eyes straight and firm, as if studding Teddy intently. Teddy looked away, and tugged his hands insides his pockets.

He felt low; he knew it wasn't his fault to feel the need for his parents to be there at that moment. He didn't know them, he didn't get a chance to meet them, see them, recognize them. The love he felt towards them was something he didn't even understand. He knew what his family told him, he knew what his instincts told him, what pictures told him, but he didn't know anything for himself. It was the strangest form of love of all the kinds he had experienced in his life. It didn't burn like his love towards Victoire burned, it didn't give him a tender sense of security like Andromeda's affections did, and it didn't give him the safeness Ginny and Harry had always given him. It was something intangible, something he didn't understand, something he missed without ever actually knowing what it was like. He had visited his parents' tombs two days ago, and once again he had longed for them. The longing sensation never went away and was never going away, exactly like Harry had told him many years ago.

His eyes moved up, looking straight at the man who was standing there, the same man who shared his advices with him, who had been there from the very beginning. In front of him was one of the people who had supplanted his parents; a person he felt entirely related to, someone he would turn to in any situation, and as such, it was also the only person he could tell anything.

"I wonder what my dad would say. I wonder what kind of advices my mum would give me..." Teddy admitted with a firm but inevitably sad tone of voice.

Harry laughed, short and softly. "I'm sure you would get good advices from Remus..." Harry said. "He was good with advices," he cleared his throat. Teddy waited patiently for him to continue. "Tonks..." he laughed this time. "I know one thing she'd say, but other than an advice I think of it more as a request."

"What is it?" Teddy wondered, filled with curiosity, and immediately questioning why Harry hadn't mentioned it before.

"If you have a girl, do not call her Nymphadora, for your mother's sake," he explained plainly. Teddy laughed immediately, an inhibited laugh that lasted long enough for him to relax his muscles.

"What was it with the name issue? It wasn't _that_ bad," he said, and when he looked at Harry he saw him raising his eyebrow lightly, his mouth twisting at the same time.

"Fine, it was pretty bad," Teddy admitted with a chuckle. He shook his head, and gave himself a few seconds of thought. "What about _Remus_? Do you think my dad would have minded having a grandchild named after him?"

"I think Remus would have liked that very much," Harry smiled softly, and Teddy smiled back at his uncle, a bit weakly though. He wished to do more than just complain for his lack of parents, he wished to tell him what he felt for those who were alive and with him, he wished to tell him what he felt towards him and Ginny, but the knot on his throat had grown a few inches, and wouldn't let him speak at all.

Harry walked up to him, and placed his hand firmly on Teddy's shoulder.

"Ready?" He asked. Teddy nodded slowly, and sensed the hug his godfather was about to give him, seconds before he did so. He embraced Harry as strongly as he felt embraced, and after receiving two strong pats on his back Harry pulled away.

"It's going to be great, alright? Even though you feel like you're missing something. It's going to be brilliant."

"I know," he smiled.

"I understand what its like," Harry stated. "I know what it feels like to need your parents this bad during a moment like this." Harry patted Teddy's shoulder again and Teddy knew it was the perfect moment to speak out.

"Uncle Harry," Teddy cleared his throat. "Even when I want them to be here, somehow...I can't wish that things were different. You see, you always say you don't have three kids. You say you have four. Well, I've had parents all my life," he stated, looking at Harry, making sure his point was coming across. "Two mothers and a pretty great dad," he saw his godfather swallowing hard and smiling widely afterwards. He nodded strangely, and Teddy could suddenly tell just how moved he was. The hug that came afterwards was very quick, but very strong.

"Don't tell me the groom is getting cold feet," Ginny mocked as she walked inside the room, a long satin yellow dress decorating her figure. "My—" she said softly. "—You look so handsome," she contemplated him. Teddy shrugged, a small smile playing on his face. Ginny threw her arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as her arms allowed her. Teddy embraced her as well, as sweetly as he could demonstrate. But contrary to Harry's demonstration of affection, Ginny didn't measure the amount of time she spent on her hug and eventually Harry was forced to intervene.

"Gin," Harry said softly, taking his wife by the waist so she would release Teddy. "He has to go downstairs now." Ginny nodded and breathed deeply. When Teddy got to see her face again he found her eyes watering up. Teddy could count with one hand the times he had seen Ginny crying.

"I know," she said weakly, smiling at the same time. She fixed his hair with her fingers gently and grinned with satisfaction once she thought she was done.

Teddy exhaled strongly, and looked at his reflection through the mirror that hung on the wall, across the room. He stared at his hair, and watched it as it changed colours, trying to find the proper one for the occasion. He went through blond, black, green, blue and even a very dark indigo. Ginny laughed softly.

"Blue, definitely blue," she suggested, clearing a tear from her eye, Teddy followed her request. Victoire would like that as well.

"What's taking you people so long? Every time somebody comes up here they don't go back down." Andromeda had walked in. She stopped at the door and smiled as widely as Ginny had, she said nothing. Teddy began to feel too exposed to the eyes of the three people who were in the room with him.

"Alright, I'm ready," Teddy announced, as he walked towards his grandmother, who grabbed his face with both hands.

"You look—" she hesitated. "—you remind me so much of Ted right now." Teddy froze for a second. He had expected _Remus_, that's what he had heard all his life, but his resemblance to his grandfather was rarely mentioned. She kissed his cheek softly and Teddy walked more than confident down the stairs and towards the yard of The Burrow.

"Breathe in," Evelyn encouraged in the room next door. Victoire did as she was told. "Calm down," her sweet voice said as she finished buttoning Victoire's dress. The girl looked through the window and at the crowd that was gathering at the yard of The Burrow.

"It was supposed to be a small wedding. The _one_ thing I asked for was a small amount of guests!" she said, raising her voice up. Evelyn pulled her by the arm, to separate her from the window.

"Stop staring out there!" she scolded. Victoire knew just how mortified her face looked. She hadn't planned any of it. At some point between the proposal and the beginning of the arrangements to the actual event she had lost track of it all. Her mother had intervened immediately and her grandmother Molly didn't lose a chance either. Soon Andromeda was giving out suggestions, and caught up in the emotions the wedding had caused she didn't find the strength to stop them from preparing it all. Only that...it wasn't at all what she had once dreamed of...getting married in some quiet place, with a breathtaking view, with only their closest family members (which were already a lot), and their most intimate friends.

At first she thought Teddy was on her side, but soon enough she found that even he was involved in the big event, and now...there she was, wearing a tight white dress, minutes before she got married in a sea of people she didn't know anything about.

"My hair's all wrong!" she said filled in worry. She never wore her hair up, never, now it was fixed in an elegant bun that according to Victoire didn't go with her at all.

"No it isn't," Evelyn complained, doing the very last button of the dress. How was Teddy supposed to undo that damn thing on their wedding night? A wand was definitely going to come in handy... "You're hair looks gorgeous," Evelyn continued, handing her the small, delicate tiara Fleur had picked out. Victoire took it and set it on her head. "You really look beautiful," her friend contemplated.

Victoire looked at herself in the mirror. Her pure white dress was perfectly fit to her figure. The strapless top trimmed her body all the way down to her waist, from where a delicate skirt seemed to spontaneously flow down to her feet. The small adornments that simulated diamonds shined with each of her moves.

The door slammed opened, and Dominique stormed inside. She squealed, a noise that made Victoire's anxiety even worse. "You look amazing!" she exclaimed loudly. Victoire smiled weakly.

"Thanks..."

"You're still missing your shoes," Dominique suddenly pointed out.

"I can't wear shoes. I'm nervous," she breathed deeply.

"So? You can't get married without shoes!" Dominique squealed again.

"Well, my feet sweat when I'm nervous!" she complained.

"Dominique, leave her alone!" Evelyn intervened. "Victoire, put your shoes on."

"Evelyn!"

"What do you mean leave her alone? I'm her sister!"

"Stop it. Both of you!" Victoire ordered. "Evelyn, is he out there?" she asked. Evelyn walked towards the window. "Well" she began, her eyes scanning the place. "Hey, I see that friend of yours. The French-Italian-whatever guy. You know, my replacement," she said sternly.

"Leo?" Victoire said relieved. "Thank god he made it." She saw Evelyn rolling her eyes.

"Bid deal, you've knpwn _me_ longer than—Oh."

"What?"

"I see...the best man," she said, raising her eyebrow. Victoire exhaled strongly.

"Jack," she acknowledged.

"Hell...He looks pretty great, doesn't he? Did he come alone?"

"Not that I don't love talking about Jack right now, but do you mind looking for the groom?"

"I don't see him, " she said.

"How can you possibly see him? There's a thousand people out there," Victoire squealed. Evelyn snorted to that last.

"Don't be ridiculous. My cousin Eleanor's wedding was a lot bigger than this. And, let me tell you that most of the people out there have red hair so...that's probably your entire father's family, and I'm thinking those blond, tall girls are all your mum's cousins. Sorry to disappoint you, but you have a rather big family." When Evelyn turned around she must have seen Victoire going pale because her eyes widened, she suggested her to sit down.

"Hey, if you're so scared then you don't have to do this," Evelyn finally suggested. Victoire raised her eyebrow.

"What?" Dominique snapped. "What do _you_ know?"

"I know she can't breathe from the stress!" Evelyn retorted.

"Victoire don't listen to her. What kind of a bridesmaid are you?"

"Stop it!" Victoire scolded again. "You're making it worse."

When the door opened up Victoire was relieved that she didn't have to put up alone with her sister and best friend anymore. She hoped it was her mother coming back to her. She had left once she finished fixing her hair, to solve some problem with the band that was playing. But instead of her mum she saw Hermione, and somehow an even bigger relief filled her chest.

Hermione smiled warmly once she saw her. "I can't tell you how beautiful you look," she gave out. "Fleur said you were going through a little crisis when she was doing your hair."

"Crisis? Did you see that out there? Do you even know those people?" Victoire pointed at the glass.

Hermione laughed. "Victoire, that's your family...most of them..."

Victoire shook her head heavily. "Aunt Hermione, I can't do this. This isn't what we wanted. This isn't how I pictured it! This—the hair—the dress's too tight—there's so many people!—the wedding's all wrong,"

"Hey," Hermione whispered, placing her hands on both sides of Victoire's face. "Calm down. It's not that many people, and you're not getting married to any of them. You're marrying one guy only tonight."

"That's exactly my point."

Hermione laughed again. "If it's of any consolation I had to marry twice."

"Twice?"

"Yes, I had a muggle wedding and a wizard one."

"Oh, how awful."

Hermione laughed. "Listen. I know this is very different from what you planned yourself, but just think, this is the first wedding this family has organized for _years_. And it's true that Molly and Fleur got carried away but that's only because they can't help the joy."

"I know," Victoire said softly.

"And you already agreed to this, didn't you?"

Victoire nodded.

"And the best part is," she said, taking Victoire by the hand and towards the window. "That after today, that man over there is going to be all yours," she said pointing at Teddy. Victoire laughed softly. Teddy was standing at the altar, next to the wizard who would marry them, and next to Jack. His face was plain, and he kept looking up at the window, even though he couldn't spot her from where he was. Victoire smiled.

"I'm ready," she announced.

Victoire's cheek was still branded by the intense kiss her mother had given her before she begun to walk down the aisle, holding tightly to his father's arm. A soft music played, as soft as the candles that marked her way towards the groom. She felt her father laughing very softly. She realized she was holding him too tightly.

"It's alright, I won't let you fall," he mocked sweetly. Victoire gave him a half smile. All eyes were on her, she could feel them. It was all about her at the moment, and that amount of attention was too much for her liking. She wanted to reach Teddy as fast as possible. But as she approached him she felt slightly thrown off by his sight, which was intent, completely frozen.

Once Victoire reached the altar, she felt primarily relieved. She breathed in one last time, and the groom's hand grabbed her tightly. She smiled at Teddy, as he pulled her softly towards her. She looked at him again, doing her best to communicate with him, but he didn't react.

Teddy stared at her, but not at her eyes. His sight was fixed upon her entire integrity. He didn't smile back, his face became expressionless. She widened her eyes, gestured in silence, hoping to find out what was getting him into that state of shock. If he was about to freak out then he chose the most inopportune moment of all.

The wizard began his speech, but Victoire paid absolutely no attention. She tried to look up front, but her only interest was to figure Teddy's reaction out. She looked at him again, he hadn't moved his eyes away from her.

"What?" she whispered exasperatedly. "What is it?"

Teddy shook his head softly, but his eyes remained fixed and concentrated.

"You're wearing your hair up," he suddenly stated, Victoire raised her thin eyebrow sharply. She quickly gazed at the wizard, whose reading was distracted due to the groom and the bride's behaviour.

"I am," she said, looking back at Teddy, her voice a bit higher than before.

"I don't think I've ever seen you wearing your hair—"

"—This isn't the moment Teddy!" she scolded. The wizard stopped talking for a moment and gave them a rather serious glance. Both Victoire and Teddy looked up front again. The wizard seemed to appreciate the fact and continued his speech. Victoire, who couldn't concentrate at all, felt Teddy's eyes wandering towards her every other second.

"What?" she asked again.

"Nothing," he murmured.

"You don't like my hair," she concluded. She heard Teddy chuckle softly.

"Why do you have to reach _that_ conclusion?"

Victoire looked at him again, losing track of the speech that was being read for them.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?" she said, a bit hasty now. Teddy smiled strongly.

"I was just wondering if you were for real, that's all," he shrugged plainly, his eyes searched for hers; she gave into his sight quickly with a soft, speechless smile, until the wizard cleared his throat, and Victoire realize it was time to stare at the man instead, just that now, she couldn't stop smiling.

The sun had set completely once the ceremony ended. The white chairs had disappeared, clearing the place for a dance floor. The candles still floated all across the yard, sharing their joyful light, moving delicately over the heads of the guests. Both Victoire and Teddy had given themselves to the event's atmosphere. Victoire found that it wasn't a hard thing to do at all. Her mother and father's proud smile was contagious, and her grandmother's joy filled the ground somehow. An uncle she hadn't seen for years asked to dance with her, and she accepted politely, but took that time to study the atmosphere around her.

Dominique, Molly and Lucy sat at a table, all three of them laughed hysterically at who knew what. From Victoire's knowledge of that dangerous trio, she was certain that they were probably making fun of someone, or were sharing very private jokes that only they could understand. She gave herself a moment to notice just how beautiful Dominique looked, with her shiny and straight blond hair short as always, decorated with very small flowers placed carefully by Fleur. In twenty two years Dominique had never grown her hair past the level of her jaw line (but never cut above it either). "Too complicated to look after, and when you ride a broom it gets all over your face," she complained. Tonight she wore a delicate green dress that went to her knees. If there was something hard with Dominique, it was making her wear a dress, and Victoire knew she had done it to look perfect for her sister's wedding. She was already wondering why those three girls in their twenties were alone, when two of her cousins on her mother's side approached their table, one of them asked to dance with Dominique and the other one with Lucy. Lucy's smirk was sharp as she accepted the boy's hand, and they both stood up leaving Molly at the table.

Molly rolled her eyes, but not at her twin or her cousin's luck for dancing. When Victoire followed Molly's sight she found Percy standing a few feet away from the table, talking intently with a young man, who held two glasses. The boy nodded constantly and seriously, but his sight wondered towards his girlfriend every other second. Victoire laughed silently when Molly lost her patience and stood up to save her boyfriend from the advices or warnings of her father.

On the other side of the yard, it was Victoire the object of observation. Teddy couldn't get over it all, he couldn't get over her dress, he never imagined she'd look that beautiful in white, especially because she had never been interested in wearing the colour at all.

"Congratulations!" Ron had thrown his arm around Ted. "Did I say that already?" Ron asked, frowning slightly. Teddy laughed.

"Only nine or ten times," he answered, giving back the half hug. "Thanks, Uncle Ron." Ron shrugged and clanked his glass of Firewhiskey against Teddy's glass, who could tell that his uncle had been having a little too much of those.

"I used to say you two would end up marrying. It was the way it was suppose to go, you know? Blimey, I didn't think we'd have to wait this long, though!" he said, messing Teddy's blue locks with his hand. Teddy laughed again. "Listen, from my share of experience with temperamental women, I can give you only one advice—" Ron begun.

"—Always tell her she's right?" Teddy asked sharply, with his best innocent look on his eyes. Ron snorted, and shook his head.

"Yes, that's exactly it."

Teddy laughed along with Ron, but he knew that his uncle didn't follow his own advice entirely, because if he did then he and Hermione wouldn't still fight over silly insignificant things, as Teddy liked to call them.

"And what do you suggest I do when she's insanely upset with me?" Teddy asked, Ron shook his head and looked at his own wife from the distance. Hermione, dressed in a light blue dress with her hair long and abnormally silky straight, was already staring their way, her eyebrow raised, probably disapproving that Ron was already quite happy thanks to the Firewhiskey.

Ron shrugged and shortly after he winked at her with a small smile on his lips. Hermione chuckled, rolled her eyes, but smiled back, widely.

"I haven't got a clue," Ron admitted. "But, it's always best if you work to get a smile out of her...instead of a frown, that's all I can say," he said wisely, shrugging plainly.

Teddy laughed and nodded. "I'll always keep that in mind."

"Here's the groom!" George said, approaching them along with Harry. "Hey Ron, ready for the next wedding? I hear it's going to be quite an event!"

Ron looked at his brother, frowning in disconcert. "What? What wedding?"

George didn't bother to answer the question, he pointed with his glass at the dance floor. The men drove their sight and found Rose, radiant in her creamy long dress, her soft, long curls tied in a loose bun, dancing with a tall, slightly pale blond man. Both Rose and Scorpius smiled and laughed unstoppably as they followed carelessly the beat of the music.

Ron shook his head rapidly, many times. His face had changed, it was pale. "Wedding?" he said straightening his back. "Are you fucking joking?" he asked to George, who laughed out loud. "She's nineteen years old! She's practically a baby! And they've been going out for what? Two days?"

"Try two years," Harry reminded him.

"Still, it's not even serious. It's a crush, she'll get over it."

"Fool yourself all you want little brother," George teased.

Ron exhaled strongly, quite dramatically.

"Come on Uncle Ron, he's not bad at all. He's great with her. Everybody says so. Even you said so once, and after all they've been through…they kind of deserve to be this happy," Teddy reminded him.

"I don't recall saying that," he said evasively. "Of all people, she had to go for...a _Malfoy,_" the words came out dryly.

"Ah, I see it now!" George said raising his hands to the sky. "Rose Malfoy Weasley..."

"Over my dead body," Ron grunted.

Teddy, Harry and George burst into laughter, and Ron took a hand to his forehead.

"What are _you_ laughing at?" Ron suddenly said to Harry. "Where's _your_ little girl?" he asked.

Harry's laughter faded gradually, his eyes began to search for Lily, first through the dancing floor, and when he didn't see her there, or sitting at any of the tables, his smiled turned into a very strict frown. Albus was walking past them holding two glasses in his hand and Harry took the chance to grab his son by the arm and pull him towards them.

"Al, have you seen your sister?" Harry asked. Albus seemed concentrated for a moment and then shook his head.

"No. I saw her with Mike about a half hour ago, haven't seen her since," he shrugged. "But I haven't seen James either." he pointed out.

"Actually, James left...I think, with someone, I suppose she's from Fleur's side," George said with a soft smirk. Teddy laughed, not amazed at all. Harry exhaled impatiently. He knew that if James wasn't around then there was not really anyone to supervise Lily and her boyfriend, because she and Albus shared a slight complicity in that sort of thing. Even though he was instinctively protective of his sister and Rose, Albus wasn't the jealous type of brother or cousin like James was.

"Dad, I bet they're here somewhere. There are a lot of people here, it took me half an hour just to find a tray of drinks." Albus pointed out as he shrugged. "I have to go back," he said, as he moved his way through the crowd of people, to a table were a lonely, thin, light blond girl sat quietly.

Harry shook his head when his son left them. George smiled again.

"Come on Harry, don't worry so much," George said with a teasing tone. "Lily's boyfriend is a Hufflepuff, and young Hufflepuffs treat their girlfriends with respect. Right Teddy?" he evilly mocked, hitting Ted's arm with his elbow.

Suddenly all three pairs of male eyes were on the groom. "Sure, of course," he said, shrugging with nature.

"They don't try anything that goes further than a few kisses, right?" George asked again, smirking widely.

"Right, yes, a few kisses," Teddy said, now with a very untrusting tone.

"I'll go ask Ginny if she's seen her," Harry said quickly, with a mortified look as he left in a hurry. Teddy silently hoped that Lily was being careful enough so she wouldn't get caught at whatever it was that she and her boyfriend were doing.

"You're just showing off because Roxanne didn't come with a date," Ron pointed out bitterly.

George smiled, and shrugged. "She's a smart girl, that one," he remarked proudly.

"Teddy!" a female voice surprised him. Teddy turned to see Hanna, who hugged him tightly, when her embrace broke Neville followed.

"We didn't get a chance to congratulate you earlier," he said.

"Thanks," Teddy smiled.

"Hanna, do you know what's up with your girl and Al?" Ron interrupted, pointing at the table where Albus and Anya where sitting at, carelessly talking. "He keeps denying there is something going on."

Hanna sighed. "I'm sorry to say that I know nothing different than you. She keeps saying they're just friends," Hanna said, highly disappointed, referring to the friendship that had developed out of nowhere between Albus and Anya during the past couple of years.

At first Teddy didn't think much of it. He figured that even though Rose and Albus' bond was quite strong and unbreakable, since she had been formally dating Scorpious she probably begun to spend a considerable amount of time with her boyfriend instead of her best friend, and that might have motivated Albus to spend some quality time with other acquaintances. Of course such a relation only awoke in the parents of the teenagers the hope of them getting together romantically, even though they -especially Albus- denied any love interest.

Teddy smiled; he couldn't blame the Longbottom's or Harry and Ginny's hopes. After all, everybody standing there with him at that very minute knew well that some friendships were very tricky threads that tended to roll into something much more stronger than that.

"We still keep our fingers crossed," Neville joked.

"Victoire looks stunning," Hanna observed.

"She does," Teddy said, gazing at the bride one more time, who was now dancing with her friend Leo. She hadn't stopped smiling since the ceremony, and Teddy felt relieved to see that she was actually enjoying the attention instead of despising it.

"They won't leave her alone, though," Hanna said softly. "She's been dancing with every male guest for the past hour."

Teddy looked at his bride and quickly caught the hint, he handed his glass to George.

"You're right, I better go check on her," he said walking away from them.

"Mind if I cut in?" Teddy asked Leo, who stopped dancing the moment he saw the groom. He shrugged, as if he didn't have another option than to follow the request, and with a polite smile he gave Teddy the hand of the woman he had been dancing with. Leo was as tall as Teddy and their sights met for a brief but very describable second. The asperities between them had worn out through the last years, slowly. It was hard for him at first; he couldn't hold back the hunch that drowned his stomach every time Victoire talked about Leo. It was clear that the Italian guy's sexual preferences eliminated the possibilities of him being a threat to Teddy. But still, he was a man Victoire listened to, a man she cared enormously about. He was the only man, apart from Teddy, that made a difference to her.

Teddy also knew that it took Leo a while to accept that Victoire had decided to go back to London, and leave everything behind for Teddy. But time mended the broken first impression he had of Teddy, successfully, even though Leo's sight still warned Teddy to be careful, and Teddy's own eyes spoke that he had nothing to be careful about.

Their sight exchange died fast and soon a smile followed. "_Congratulazioni Ted_," Leo said, patting Teddy's shoulder twice.

"Thanks," Teddy nodded sincerely.

"You ar verry lucky man," Leo said softly. The Italian man turned around and held Victoire's face with his hands for a moment, to kiss her forehead shortly. He then turned and left the dance floor.

"Don't pay attention to him," she rolled her eyes.

"Actually, I agree with him."

Victoire chuckled, as Teddy softly led her to the slow song that was playing. When he looked away from her he found his best man dancing with Victorie's bridesmaid.

"Here we go again," he sentenced. Victoire looked towards their direction, and smiled.

"Let's hope they handle each other, at least for a month or two."

Teddy smiled, his eyes fixed on hers, but soon his smile was banishing. "You alright?" he asked. "I thought you might be tired by now."

"No, I'm fine," Victoire smiled, before sighing softly.

"I'm sorry," Teddy said.

"What? Sorry about what?"

"For making you go through this big wedding. This wasn't what we agreed, it wasn't what you wanted..."

"Teddy, I'm fine," she answered sweetly.

"No, it's not fine. It got out of control... there are a million candles flying over our heads and I swear I haven't seen so much food in my life. Merlin, we're even going to appear in the paper! I invited my boss out of courtesy...but he didn't have to bring one of the Prophet's photographers with him."

Victoire laughed. "It did got out of control, but I have to admit, everything looks amazing, and everybody's having a great time," she observed.

"What about you?"

"Teddy. I said: I'm fine."

"Because if you want we can run off and have the rest of the night for ourselves."

"I think I can handle the rest of my own wedding," she smiled. He couldn't get over how much she was smiling. "Honestly Teddy, it wasn't as bad as I had imagined, and...having seen the look on your face when I walked down the aisle was quite satisfactory."

Teddy chuckled. "You do know how to leave an impression," he said, scanning her face. "Still. I can't help thinking that I owe you one."

"Really?" she said suspiciously, "And how do you plan to pay me? Because I have a good imagination." she smirked.

"Well yes, that's _one_ way, but I thought I'd pay you with our initial version of this."

"What? You're joking."

"I'm not."

"Another one? How many times do you want to get married? I think one was enough."

Teddy smiled softly and leaned down gently to press his lips close to her ear. "You say you have a good imagination, well, since our Honeymoon is in Greece," he whispered. "I suddenly can't stop thinking what it would be like to wed you there, just the two of us."

"Wha—you're actually serious," she said, her voice astonished.

"I am. So, how about it? You and I? Greece. Some random little island? We already have the rings."

Victoire chuckled in disbelieve. "You're out of your mind," she stated.

Their bodies moved to the slow sound, barely sliding through the floor. He felt her breathing, slowly. He allowed her silence for more than a minute, he knew what she was thinking about.

"I heard sunset in Naxos is breathtaking," she suddenly whispered.

"Sunset in Naxos it is," he whispered with a smile.

"You _are_ serious," she mumbled again.

"Picture it," he said to her ear. "You in a white, very light dress. A dress you'll buy in some local shop thirty minutes before. You can wear a muggle bathing suit underneath it." Victoire's laugh was very soft.

"What else?" she asked softly.

"Well, you won't have to wear shoes to it! The sand will get in your toes," he offered.

"That's very tempting."

"I know, and I'm just looking for an excuse to see the wind blowing on your face, playing with your loose hair."

"I thought you liked my hair tied up in a bun," she mocked.

"I do! But only because I can't stop thinking of the moment I'll get to undo it."

"We'll need witnesses," she said, picking up the previous topic.

"I'm sure we'll find someone to stand up there with us. Some fisherman, a local kid, or maybe even the hotel lady."

"And who will wed us?"

"A muggle priest. It'll be a muggle wedding, we'll be two British muggles. Come on, what do you say?"

"Ted Lupin, I believe you're proposing again," she teased, separating their faces so their eyes could meet.

"Don't be mean," he begged sweetly. "I'm serious."

Victoire's overwhelmed eyes focused strongly on his. "How come you didn't think of this before?" She wondered.

"I just. I saw our grandparents so excited with the wedding, and your mum...even Ginny and Hermione. Everybody had something to do with it! I got caught up, and I forgot about us, but I especially forgot about you."

Victoire sighed, stood slowly on her tip toes, to brush his lips with hers. "You clearly didn't forget. Sunset in Naxos it is," she whispered, holding his shirt so she could pull his head down. He smiled, and laughed softly, filled with satisfaction once he embraced her as fervently as it was publically permitted.

_Author's (very long) note: _

_Mayor fluff explosion? Sorry! Couldn't help myself! Sue me..._

_I can't say how much I dislike to end this fic. I had the time of my life writing it. I know, the epilogue doesn't involve their kids but that's another stage of their life, a whole new story. Although I will probably sell myself and write about it in a soon to come one-shot._

_To my reviewers: _

_I would have **never **enjoyed this story as I did if it weren't for you guys. Most of you were so much fun to read! And every time I received a comment of somebody getting mad at the characters or happy because something happened I couldn't wear the smile off for days. So THANKS to everyone who reviewed at least once. And hugs, kisses, cookies and free imaginary Harry potter merchandise to all of my regular reviewers. Needless to say that you're the only reason I kept to updating as regular as my life allowed me to. Thank you for your patience, for your kindness and for correcting my grammar =D _

_One more for the road: REVIEW PLEASE!_

_What I enjoyed the most when writing this: _

_I'll be honest. I loved Victoire overruling Teddy when they were kids, I loved Teddy drooling over Vic when they were teenagers, I loved Vic adoring him. I totally loved them so clueless towards the end. _

_My next fic:_

_It will be a Rose & Scorpious fic. Not even half as long as this one, I promise. By the way, I have a small question to ask you that concerns my new fic. Would you mind turning to my poll and answering it? _

_Artist: The Cranberries_

_A/N: I chose this song, because dreams are never exactly how we picture them, we often have to work hard to get close to them, and sometimes, in the end, everything ends up being worth it. Oh, and I will confess: getting married in a small Greek island is my secret ideal of a wedding. This is the first time I share this! _

_Lyrics:_

_Oh, my life is changing everyday,_

_In every possible way._

_And oh, my dreams, it's never quite as it seems,_

_Never quite as it seems._

_I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more,_

_Because it came from you._

_And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,_

_A different way to be._

_I want more, impossible to ignore,_

_Impossible to ignore._

_And they'll come true, impossible not to do,_

_Impossible not to do._

_And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me._

_You're what I couldn't find._

_A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;_

_You're everything to me._

_Oh, my life,_

_Is changing every day,_

_In every possible way._

_And oh, my dreams,_

_It's never quite as it seems,_

_'Cause you're a dream to me,_

_Dream to me._


End file.
